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shipwreck-letters · 9 months ago

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Chapter Thirteen: Point of No Return

Word Count: 3,741

Summary:

--- …. ……w̷̘̳̭̞̳̳̥̠͎͕̯̘̜̫̼͔̍͒̽́̍̂̄̌̃͑͛̔͋̕͜͠͝ä̵̧̨͍͍̟̜̮͚̠̯̖͖̮̼̼̫̞͕͔̮̐͊̋̊̀͗̍͜͝͝ͅk̶̡̧̧̛̤̲͇̫̠̲̭̞̭͓̬̜͔̺̱̣̯͕̼͖̳̦̞̙̖͎̹̞̖̽̃͛͐̽̎͑͗̈͐̆͂̌͂͆̈͑͜ȩ̷̨̢̨̨̛̺̳̘̥͓̲̝̰̟̱̻̣͖̤̪̘͍̗̮̱͉̘̙̇̌̓̈́̅̈̓̂̽̒̂̈́͗̆̀̐͋́̈́̿́̕̚̚͜͜͠ͅͅ ̶̡̢̧̢̻̺͕̠̭̻̟̭̙̤̤͖̲̪̗̤̺̳̦͕̆͊͑̈̏̌̾̑́̉̈̎̋̿̈́͑̉͗̃̆͋̓̓̄̿͜͝ư̵̡̧͖̙̲͓̟̙͖͗̏̾̃̆̍͑̚̕̕͝p̶̧̡̭̫̥̯͈̩̭̼̹̹̣̱̗̱̽̀͒̊͑͛̌̆̈́̑̀̍̀̅̊͗̈́͜͠ …………Through you, I can feel. I am watching, I am waiting…I will have my day, and I will swallow the ş̷̹̤̜̮͔̠͍̎̍̈́͗̎͋̿͘u̷̧͍̳̜̦̮̰̤͉̤̖̪̻͘ǹ̸̛͚͕̰̦̈̇̆. Wake up.

A wave of sleep inertia morphed into an awful bubbling in Kiso’s stomach; He jolted upright, hand slapped over his mouth, throat scorched with a rising sickness.

A bucket was shoved into his hands as Kiso’s eyes squeezed shut and he retched, lurched, and emptied his empty stomach into the bucket. A groan that was not his own came from the other side of the room; A small room it was, as the volume bounced back immediately.

“Told ya that would happen. Right on schedule, too. Never a good feeling, I’ll give it that.”

Kiso shuddered, spitting and licking his teeth with another jolt. He blinked away his grogginess, coming to two realizations consecutively as he gazed down at his shaking hands.

He was somehow still alive, despite his last memory and waking thoughts. The corruption was….Gone.

Yes, it was completely gone, but a faded mark was left behind on his skin; Like a form of vitiligo, it was wavy and asymmetrical, winding up into his sleeves. Kiso slowly curled his fingers into his palm, collecting his rapid heartbeat until it slowed, and then dared to look up.

“Ah, welcome back to the world. Malice-free and just a teeny bit worse for wear, no Yiga-doing this time.”

There were three people in the room. (Four, including Kiso). Kiso blinked back blurriness in his eyes as a hand rested on his knee, another grasping his fingers. “Malice…Fascinating. Can you hear me?” Kurre’s voice echoed, and Kiso made a quiet noise in reply.

Kurre went through with a basic check-up, as Kiso pieced together his surroundings in bite-sized chunks. The room was small, underground; Voices echoed off the bumpy stone walls, illuminated by red-gold paper lanterns. If he had any doubts, the banners of inverted eyes all stared at him inanimate. Boxes and crates, a few brooms and cleaning tools were cast around haphazardly.

Ahead of him, Sooga hunched from an old box, his uniform and hair wrinkled and damp. He massaged his forehead beneath his mask, and Kiso found it hard to look away. He couldn’t tell what had happened, and could hardly remember.

And his eyes flickered away to a very tall and plump Yiga lounging in the opposite corner; He wore gray clothes embroidered with burgundy and red, a flared collar, puffy sleeves and pants; His curly black hair was wrapped up into a tall ponytail, bits of loose curls falling around a sharpened Yiga mask unlike any other Kiso had seen. Whether it was the mask or his extravagant day-clothes, Kiso pushed his back to sit up straighter in the man’s presence.

“No concussion, but one more mishap and you might have a broken bone. Doesn’t it hurt here?” Kurre jabbed at Kiso’s ribs, and he jolted, gritting his teeth and holding back a hiss.

“Mm-hm. It’s making you run a fever, too. Master Kohga?” Kurre glanced over her shoulder.

“Huh?”

“That washcloth. May I have it, please?”

“Oh, sure.” Kohga pushed himself to stand on two feet, swiping a white rag from an empty bucket as he sauntered over to the two of them. Kiso clenched his jaw tightly as he craned his neck up and up, fingers twitching at the pain in his chest as he inhaled.

“You were into quite a sticky situation, wouldn’t ya say?” Kohga asked, tapping his chin. He leaned down in one quick motion, and held Kiso’s chin firmly, lifting his head and eyeing his neck, his throat, and finally his forehead.

“Something sticky, indeed.”

Kiso’s heart beat rapidly in his ears. Kohga must have sensed it; His head tilted the other way.

“Aw, don’t be so nervous, kid. Let’s start easy, nice and easy. What’s your name?”

Uneasily, Kiso whispered his name. His chin was still in a pinched grip. Kohga hummed.

“You’re a lucky rabbit, Kiso. Making it alllllll the way out here, Yiga territory, covered head to toe with malice. But you didn’t make it on your own, didja? You had a little help?”

For half a second, Kiso’s eyes darted towards Sooga, and Kohga laughed.

“Sooga’s always been a soft-heart, I’ll give ‘em that.”

Something finally passed the barrier of pain and sickness, and finally clicked within Kiso’s mind. “You’re the….Chief.”

Oh, he was so dead.

The man waved a finger around, finally letting go of Kiso. “Chief, ultimate-leader-extravaganza…Though I’ve always liked the ol’reliable…Master Kohga.”

Double dead.

“...I didn’t mean to trespass. Not like that…I had nowhere to go.”

“And why’s that, Kiso?”

“....I told my sister that I’d rather die than serve the King. She didn’t like that very much.”

“No,” Kohga let out a bark of a laugh. “No, they usually don't.” He rubbed at his own chin, stepping back. “But what am I going to do with you…?”

Sooga lifted his head, glancing between the others before he tried to stand on uneasy, wobbly feet. “Master Kohga, I-”

“Sit.” Kohga snapped his fingers, his boisterous voice suddenly sharp and serious. “You’re not off the chopping block either, Sooga.”

For a short moment, Kohga hummed and stared down Kiso, and Kiso tried not to fidget under the scrutinous gaze. As chaotic and dangerous as his third eye was, it granted him the ability to read emotions clear as day; Something he clearly struggled with as his eyes cautiously shifted between Sooga, Kurre, and Kohga.

“Lots to unpack here,” Kohga finally said, drawing Kiso’s attention back immediately. “Lots indeed….I need a snack break.”

His hands clapped together and a new Yiga suddenly appeared, a handful of mighty bananas in their grasp. “Master.”

Kohga grabbed a hand of bananas as he spun on his heel, and the Yiga spared a glance to Kiso. Kiso tilted his head, and gave a short wave.

…The Yiga raised their hand and returned a nonchalant salute before disappearing, and Kohga spoke up once more.

Kohga lounged across the single chair in the room, legs kicked over the side, a peeled banana in his hand. He tossed that one to Kurre. “Ladies first.”

He took a second one- “Catch!”

Kiso snatched the banana hurtling towards him at breakneck speed. Kohga hummed in approval with a tip of his head. “You passed the first test. Eat up.”

Kiso blinked slowly, watching Kohga with apprehension still. His heart was waiting for danger, for trouble- His nerves were bundled with the high-strung feeling of escape; He couldn’t let his guard down now, not after all that had happened in the past few days. He turned towards Sooga and silently outstretched the banana to him.

Sooga stared at it, head moving slightly as he looked from Kiso’s hand to his eyes. Confusion, perhaps.

“It is yours.” Sooga said quietly, pushing Kiso’s hand back. “You are starving.”

Kiso couldn’t tell what it meant to starve anymore. The feeling in his stomach and heart ached in his head; It was all the same. Everything was falling apart. Still, Kiso unpeeled the banana and took a tentative bite.

Once Kohga had made it through about four or five bananas, he let out a great sigh and aimed his finger towards Sooga.

“Let’s take it from the top, shall we. Sooga, with you. What’s the whole deal about this ‘investigation’ I’ve been hearing about?”

Sooga heaved to his feet, slow and exhausting, and dropped to one knee with a restrained grunt. It seemed like he had been preparing for this moment.

“Master Kohga, there is troubling news brewing within the castle. The king of Hyrule is preparing to unearth the ancient Sheikah technology from the old texts. He will rip through each region of the land in search of every piece. If the legends are true, the Yiga Village is compromised. We may have to prepare to move. Again.”

Kohga’s feet, lazily kicking before, suddenly stopped as Sooga finished. Kiso was tempted, so tempted to read his aura; Was he nervous? Angry? Scared? But he knew better. Somehow, Kohga had removed the malice on his body, and left only scars behind. Let sleeping dogs lie.

Let the hands remain buried.

“Well, that’s not good. When’s it starting?”

“Soon. I do not know all the answers, but I am handling this investigation. That explains my absence. Most of it.”

Sooga’s head tilted towards Kiso. “I found him after my mission in the highlands. He is no spy. I have confirmed that.”

“Oh, I already know that. I knew the second you had crossed the village lines. The Sheikah don’t spy anymore; It’s Hylians now, and they reek.”

Kohga slammed a fist down onto his leg. “Besides! We are not moving again! Half of our furniture was left behind, you know? We’re running out of places. This is our last time running. Find out what that wrinkled raisin is sticking his nose into. This-”

He pointed a finger at Kiso. “-Is the last time we let an outsider join the Clan!”

Kiso’s eyes widened. Did that mean-?

“You both know what to do about this one. All of that hard work you can handle. I believe in you, yada yada.” He spoke to both Kurre and Sooga, who straightened up at his command.

“Master.” They both nodded, and turned their heads to Kiso. Kiso’s heartbeat was all he could hear drumming in his ears.

“I get to stay?”

“Consider it your lucky day.” Kohga raised from his chair, his shadow stretching and falling over Kiso.

“However! By joining the Yiga Clan now, you hereby forfeit all ties to the Sheikah and Royal Family for now until eternity. No take-backs, no outs. You’re roughed up, banged up, so I won’t make you fight me for initiation. But know this-”

With a whoosh of wind, Kohga was in Kiso’s face. His hand came down, the size of his palm engulfing Kiso’s shoulder entirely. There was nothing Kiso could do but listen, focus.

“I don’t take kindly to traitors. Your sister may have let you off the hook, but you’ll be fighting for your life if you try to pull the hood over our eyes. You’ll go through me. Will that be an issue?”

The words settled on Kiso like ash, scolding and lingering. He shook his head once, jaw clenched.

“Great.” Kohga flicked Kiso’s third eye, ignoring the pained hiss from Kiso. “See me again after you heal up. You too, Sooga. We have some things we need to work on before you kill yourself trying to use those abilities.”

With a wave of his hand, Kohga vanished with a cloud of red, gone in a trace. Kiso still felt a pierce in his chest, a tumbling of emotions he wasn’t sure what to do with.

Sooga let out a long, drawn-out sigh, and Kurre cleared her throat.

“Well- Welcome to the, uh, village, I guess!” She rattled her hands, but no one was excited.

“Look on the bright side. You missed the initiation that includes challenging Master Kohga. That alone would give you bruised ribs and sore joints.”

“I almost died, I think.” Two or three times, but who’s counting.

“Yes, but you made it! And now, you have lots to learn. For now, let’s get out of this broom closet. Please. I’m getting claustrophobic.”

---

“There you go,” Kurre bundled up the oversized clothes in her arms, and brushed a stray lint off Kiso’s new sleeve, secure and snug around his body. “You look fit for the part. Oh, don’t forget this.”

She passed over a familiar piece of cloth. “Until you can make your own.”

Kiso wiggled his toes, feeling the pull and bend of the red tabi. His eyes passed over the cloth, and then up to Kurre. He felt exhausted; Holding up the walls that were slowly crumbling, though not from trust--Fatigue and illness. “You’ve been really nice to me. More than I think I deserve.”

No one else had treated him with such friendliness in the tunnels; It was passing glances, murmurs and whispers. But Kurre had extended generosity beyond their experiment; One that didn’t even work.

“I’m a nurse, it’s in my instincts.”

“I thought you were a doctor. Scientist.”

“Scientist, doctor-in-training.” Kurre said with what must have been a wink; Her shoulder moved up slightly, her head tilted. “Really…I just want to make sure you’re okay. I watched Master Kohga remove that corruption; I saw the monster you described, and then some.

I once helped treat someone bitten by a Lizalfos, but I did not check up on her after she had left the clinic. I don’t want to make that same mistake again. I must do better, so I will be checking on you every now and then. Don’t forget to stop by, too.”

Kiso tied the mask behind his head, fingers running over his hair slowly. “Does this mean we’re friends?”

“If you’d like to be, then yes. Friends.” Kurre nodded. “You should get some rest. Just walk the way we came, you’ll find the sleeping quarters.”

Kiso felt another ache in his chest. It was a goodbye, it felt like losing something all over again. He didn’t dare ask if she’d return; He didn’t want another promise that couldn’t be kept.

And instead of returning the way Kurre had specifically shown him, his eyes followed the way of the lanterns above, strung along lumpy cavern walls. His hands found one another, and he could see the sheen of blue along his bandaged hands as the world warped around him.

His feet landed in cold sand sinking around him. The moon was poised high in the sky, shadows of Gerudo Town sparkling in the far distance. Kiso’s breath came out in shudders, clouds evaporating into the denim night. Kiso trudged through the desert, something wound in his clothes kept him from freezing. It was warm enough that he could empty his mind out, laying out all the pieces of his catastrophic week bare and flat.

He wondered again what Impa would be doing, as he walked the wilderness. He wondered where Vyn would be, and if his parents were watching. He wondered where Pan had run off to, in the midst of chaos. He wondered what this new life was going to be like.

Only whispers, clutching of necklaces, and sneers were made in Hyrule Castle when someone mentioned the Yiga Clan. Thieves, bandits, traitors…Exiles.

But Kiso had seen Sooga; Stoic and of few words, but honorable and dignified. Kurre was eclectic, but kind. Master Kohga, the Chief of them all, seemed rather silly (and yet dangerously deadly).

The Sheikah had the capability to be hospitable, but Impa told many stories of the Shadow Folk; Ghost stories stemming in the farthest basement of the castle. There was an interrogation chamber somewhere beneath the foundation.

Kiso had a feeling he was soon going to learn the true meaning of Shadow Folk.

Isn’t this what he wanted?

…Not like this.

A tall structure stood out in the darkness; An old, fallen building made of carved stone. Sand trickled out until it had blown over into flat ground again, and Kiso shook out the remnants in his shoes as he walked into the angled shadows of the canyon walls and ruins. There was a four-post shelter, a second floor open to the elements. Kiso collapsed in the farthest corner, legs folding.

“I’ll be waiting where the light touches the ground, where the red star burns our enemies.” Kiso let his head drop to his knee as Vyn’s voice haunted him again.

“Where are you?” He asked, no energy left to be angry, to cry. “We were supposed to do this together.”

A shadow passed beside him, and then a shade of lavender entered his vision. Kiso outstretched his hand to Pan, letting her tongue flicker over him and his new clothes. She circled around and began to wind along Kiso’s arm; Her heavy weight dragged his arm down.

“You’ve…Gotten bigger. Have you eaten well?”

It seemed so. Pan rolled off Kiso, and swayed her head along to something behind him. Kiso followed her gaze, and down to the ground.

“What…? Oh. New friend?”

A fat, fuzzy tarantula apprehensively crawled near, lifting its front legs a few times at Kiso and Pan. Pan lowered herself closer to the ground, tongue flicking, eyes focused intently. The spider waited for a beat, and then mosied on to Kiso.

“You made a friend that you didn’t try to eat?” Kiso hummed in disbelief, opening his palm to the creature that tapped his fingertips, and then moved on to investigate pebbles. Pan made a show of curling across Kiso’s lap as if to show the spider that she was brave enough to cuddle, and Kiso chuckled.

And then a woman’s voice like a spider’s fang spoke very closely.

“So. You are the new footsoldier that I saw earlier. I have been waiting to meet you.”

Kiso froze, pulling Pan close. Did the spider just talk?

Pan raised her head up, and Kiso dared to follow; Through a broken gap in the second floor, someone was perched, peering down with a long red scarf flowing above Kiso’s head. Her mask was sharp along the sides, four points on each side, painted orange and black just like a tarantula.

The seconds passed finally moved Kiso to speak. “Who are you?”

“I am Tulsi. That is Stella.” She pointed a spindly finger at the spider. “May I sit?”

Kiso blinked, and moved over to make space. He watched Tulsi fold her legs and slip through the gap, landing without a sound on the floor. She wore armor similar to Sooga, though missing yellow accents on the chest.

“Are all the Yiga really, really tall?”

A strange sound made Kiso’s neck cold; She had laughed. “I am taller than most Yiga, but yes. You still have plenty of time. Eat your vegetables.”

“That’s the secret?” Kiso’s eyebrows knit together.

“Partly. You will find the other secret soon enough.”

Kiso sighed, turning his head away. Tulsi’s head tilted, but she kept quiet. A moment passed in silence, Stella investigating Kiso’s feet with mild curiosity, and Pan slithering around Tulsi with a steadily flickering tongue.

“How…How does this work?” Kiso asked, bringing his legs closer to his chest. Tulsi waited for more. “What do the Yiga do? What are you training for?”

“This is new, this schedule. It did not used to be this way. The village was lively, with children and busy work….A common community. Now all children must be trained, becoming what the Sheikah and Hylians fear. We must rebuild the village from dirt and sand, where no one has quite acclimated. You joined at a difficult time.”

“But…Why? What happened?”

Tulsi’s head turned down to Kiso in silence. “We lived in solitude very far away. The trees were magnificent, the fruit was plentiful, and the rivers were as common as grass. It was not perfect, but it was our home. I was born there, and I was there for its destruction. The royal family found a landmark in those woods, and they needed their princess there for prayer. If there is anything they despise, it’s darkness in any capacity; Shadows give them nightmares. The Yiga are the true Shadow Folk, and they did not like us so close to their holy shrine. With bloodshed, we were driven out yet again. Do you remember that?”

“Me?” Kiso’s eyes widened. His brain reeled, flipping through memories and past conversations, but all he could do was shake his head. Tulsi hummed.

“Perhaps you were not born yet. Or too young to remember. I am too old to remember dates; 25 years ago, I think. The new Blademasters were just babies, now made to grow up in this harsh climate. The old footsoldiers and Blademasters were slain; Master Kohga made a decision then, as we found our new home. If something should happen again, as it usually does, we will be prepared.”

Kiso frowned, his eyes raising to the stars. “You shouldn’t have to do that. That’s not…”

“Fair? Of course not. And fear is all they know, instability and failure to their golden image draws them to harsh actions. That is the way of the Sheikah these days, no?”

“Maybe the old ones. My sister never waged war on anyone. My cousins are researchers with Sheikah technology.” Kiso kicked his feet, throwing up a hand in frustration. “We should be working together! This is stupid!”

“One day, perhaps. The new generation fights for justice, and freedom. I like that of you.”

Kiso bit his cheek, his mind returning to somber places. But Tulsi had been as kind as Kurre, maybe she could give advice, too. “What am I gonna do about my friend?”

“What is there to do?”

“We made a promise. We were supposed to be here together.”

“Promises are easily broken. You have made your loyalty with the Yiga, now you must carry on without them.”

It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but deep down, he knew it was true. “What if something happened to them? I’ll never know, will I?”

“A prevalence here. Unfortunately. Many orphans, outlaws, ex-prisoners. Shadows sent away by one reason or another.”

Tulsi moved to stand, her long legs folding under her as she rose. “You must move on; No good to chase ghosts. You will go insane.”

“These ghosts are all I’ve ever known.”

“And you will know again. You are alive. Heartbreak and happiness will always come back in waves.”

“...You sound really confident about that.”

Tulsi extended a hand to the ground, to Stella. The spider made a circle, before passing Kiso and Pan to crawl up Tulsi’s fingers.

“I am 300 years old. I have mended hearts and broken them. The journey is never linear; You are so very young, and this is your first loss. But you are alive. That is the best part.”

With her other hand, Tulsi wound her scarf around her neck, and around Stella perched on her shoulder. “Training begins at sunrise.”

Tulsi turned to him, and bowed her torso. She nodded her head towards Pan.

“And goodnight, both of you.”

As Tulsi left, Kiso could hardly believe what had just happened. With wide-eyed realization, he pulled Pan close, looking up to the sky in awe.

“We have three friends.”

#trying out new things #i wish i was an artist to draw fun chapter banners but alas we make do #botw #breath of the wild #hyrule warriors age of calamity #hwaoc fic #botw fic #loz fic #abzu's writing #yiga clan #yiga oc #fic time; reaping hook #sooga #master kohga #fanfiction #writing #multichapter #reblogs appreciated

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jadedrrose · 2 months ago

Text

𝐀 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐧'𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐧: 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐫

art/other info is available on my masterlist.

Having spent the last few days resting and making herself an absurd amount of healing teas and elixirs, Rose finally felt the soreness of her tattoo had ceased, for the most part. Though she still kept the bandages over her tattoo, just to be on the safer side of things. It was still technically a wound, after all.

In the days of allowing herself to rest in order to heal from the tattoo, Rose had spent most of her time in her room, or down in the library when she’d felt particularly restless. She hadn’t spent much time with Sooga throughout then, as he had regular duties to attend to. Though of course, he was still checking on her and ensuring she was doing okay.

But now, she was ready to get back to physical activities. And what she really wanted to start with was her uniform. During her rest period, she’d created the list of supplies she’d need just as Sooga had asked her to. So to her delight, everything she’d needed had been delivered right to her quarters the previous night.

Now, early in the morning, she sat at her desk, looking over the sketches she’d made. Most of them were pretty similar to the pink kimono outfit she typically wore, but with less bulky or looser-fitting elements to them. In her final sketch, she’d taken a footsoldier’s uniform and feminized it, adding a tight-fitting kimono over it. With that all done, she decided to start with the base. Rose took the footsoldier uniform she’d been given, marked and measured it, before cutting it apart.

It was the only uniform type the clan offered that would fit her, due to her being only a bit taller than the average Hylian woman, which was nowhere near tall enough to fit into a blademaster uniform. She cut the top into a crop top, re-sewing the seams at the bottom of it so that it would sit on her frame correctly. Next she made her shorts, taking the bottom half of the regular uniform and cutting the shorts much higher up, so that they’d be more flattering to her figure.

With that done, she moved onto making her tights, but really, they were going to be stockings. They went just above her knees, but looked similar in style to the tights and wrappings Sooga and the other blademaster’s wore. Next were her gloves, which needed to be cut open so that she’d still be able to use her powers gifted by the fairies, and after that she’d work on the belts.

—

With many hours passing by, Rose decided she was finally done, and it was then she realized she’d spent the entire day slaving away, perfecting her new uniform. Getting up, she changed into it and gazed at herself in the floor-length mirror next to her dresser. And as she did so, she couldn’t help but grin to herself. It came out beautifully.

As she’d worked on sketching the designs earlier, Rose had come to the realization that she would be rather uncomfortable with the skin-tight uniform. So came the idea of wearing another kimono. Even so, she had wondered if it would look good in person. But as she stared at it now, she found it to look fierce yet elegant. Perfect. The kimono was entirely sleeveless, unlike her pink one, and only covered one side at the skirt part. Swaying her hips back and forth, she watched gleefully as the skirt flowed with her movements in a pretty manner. She’d probably look very graceful in battle. At least, she hoped so.

Turning to look at the back, Rose gazed at the white bandages that covered her tattoo. The upper back was cut out, so that when she was ready, the tattoo would be visible, the sign of her loyalty to the clan. Smiling, she then looked at the vibrant red bow she’d made to tie her new obi in place. Honestly, she felt like a genius for creating such a gorgeous outfit.

At the moment, she left her rose and vine markings uncovered, but had prepared sleeves and full tights for when they needed to be covered.

With that, she grabbed the white ribbon that was similar to the one Sooga used to tie up his hair, and put hers into a simple but pretty, high ponytail. Heading for the door, she realized the heeled sandals she now wore instead of boots were a bit noisy. But, she knew of someone who could help her take care of that problem; Kaysa.

Just before she could open her door to head for the dining hall, there was a knock on it. Opening it ever so slightly, Rose found that Sooga was on the other side.

“Rose, are you alright? I haven’t seen you all day-“

He paused, staring at her. She’d wanted to be all sly about it, but found that she was breaking out into a smile. Giggling, she fully opened the door and stood with her arms slightly out, giving Sooga the full view. “Isn’t it great?! I spent all day working on it!” She boasted, looking over herself again.

“It is… breathtaking,” Sooga quietly said, seeming a bit tense.

“Really?! That good?” She squealed.

“Rose, you… forgive me for this, but it looks absolutely beautiful on you,” his head hung a bit low as he spoke, though.

Giggling, she leapt forward and embraced him. Maybe it was a bold move, but she didn’t really care. “Thank you, Sooga!”

Hesitantly, Sooga returned the hug. But why did he seem so… nervous? Forgetting the thought, Rose let go of him. “It’s pretty much done, though I need to have one of the great fairies infuse silent shrooms into my shoes so they don’t make any noise,” she told him. “I was thinking of going after dinner.”

“It’s already two hours past when dinner is served, Rose,” Sooga informed her.

“What?! Did I really spend that much time on it?” She gasped.

“I suppose you did,” he hummed.

“I guess I just got carried away,” she sighed, suddenly feeling her stomach rumble. “Ugh, I’m starving. Is there anything left?”

“Not really,” Sooga said. “But I’ll help you prepare something.”

Rose smiled then. “Thanks.”

—

After showing Sooga how to make one of her favorite dishes, they brought the food over to the private dining room to eat it.

Rose took a much larger portion, while Sooga only took a small sample since he’d already eaten dinner. They ate the same way they had before, with their chairs faced away from each other.

“So… you never got to tell me about that dream you had,” Rose mentioned, taking another bite of her food.

“I honestly forgot. Forgive me, Rose,” Sooga replied.

“Don’t worry about that,” she shrugged. “You had your duties and I was healing. But anyway, what was so unbelievable about it?”

Sooga paused. Waiting for a reply, she simply listened. But the sound of a chair moving and the movement of him sitting back at the table caused her to glance towards him. His mask was back on, and he was sitting across from her again.

Scooting her chair back into its correct place, Rose looked at him, concerned. “What? Was it… bad?”

“I’m unsure,” he answered, head hanging slightly low. “It was incredibly strange. I almost… believe it had something to do with our fate.”

“Huh?”

“In the dream, I awoke in my childhood home. I was exactly as I was now, only… I shouldn’t have been. My parents were alive, and I was still an adult in the dream. But they died long before I grew up. And yet, it felt… right.”

Rose sighed. “Hmm. I mean, it’s not too strange to sort of… wish you could know how things would’ve turned out. Maybe the dream was a manifestation of that?”

“No, it wasn’t that,” he lightly shook his head, continuing on with explaining the dream. “My mother then had me sit down for dinner. She wasn’t sick anymore, as if she never was.”

Rose continued to listen.

“But then you appeared.”

Her lips parted, and Rose wanted to say something. But what could she say to that? Frowning, she then sighed, “I… appeared?”

“You came through the door, carrying a basket. And something about you was… different,” Sooga explained. “I just don’t know what.”

“That’s odd. How could I be different?” Rose then asked.

“I cannot explain it,” he said. “But then my mother said… you’d save me.”

Rose felt incredibly confused then. Save him? From what?

“She told me to never let go of you… And then I woke up,” he finished.

Rose solemnly hummed, thinking over everything Sooga had just told her. “So that’s why you think it has to do with fate.”

“Indeed.”

“I guess we’re stuck with each other for good then,” she chirped, trying to lighten up the mood. “Whatever it is, I’ll save you from it.”

Though she was unable to see his face, Sooga’s body visibly relaxed, and Rose was certain he was giving her a small smile.

“Thank you… for understanding.”

“Of course,” she then gave him a warm smile.

There was an awkward silence as they both contemplated what to say next. Sooga was first to speak up though; “so… shall we get you to the Great Fairies?”

Rose nodded. “Yeah. Although… I just wanna warn you,” she faltered. “They can be… a lot.”

“A lot?” He repeated.

“Especially with… men,” Rose said, feeling a bit embarrassed now. “Maybe you should hang back while I talk to Kaysa.”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with,” Sooga replied, standing up and gathering their plates. Rose then remembered something.

“Oh! Before we go… I need to get some rupees.”

“Rupees? What for?” Sooga inquired.

“Well, the fairies love rupees, like, more than anything,” she clarified. “If I give Kaysa a lot, she might not be as upset with me, for… you know…”

“For joining the clan,” Sooga muttered.

“…yeah.”

He then nodded. “Then we better get a good amount of rupees. Come on.”

Smiling, Rose got up and followed him out of the dining room.

—

Taking in a deep breath of the cool night air, Rose let go of Sooga after he’d transported both of them nearby Tabantha Bridge Stable.

The stable wasn’t more than fifty feet away. The bridge was in view, as well. It would be too risky to continue by foot, as they may be spotted by civilians. Rose then scanned the area, trying to think of a way around that issue.

“You see the large rock formations after the bridge?” Rose pointed to them, and Sooga nodded in confirmation. “Transport there, okay?”

He nodded again, and simultaneously, they both transported themselves to the exact area Rose had been speaking of.

“There,” she huffed. “Now we’ve avoided anyone at the stable. Kaysa’s fountain isn’t much farther ahead. We can walk, so long as no travelers are passing through.”

“If anyone else is present, what do you wish to do?” Sooga then asked.

“Hmm,” Rose thought about it, looking at their surroundings. Then, she looked upwards. “There. You see the ruins atop the rocks?”

“I do.”

“We’ll transport there.”

“Alright,” Sooga gave her nod. “You lead the way.”

Rose then began to walk ahead of Sooga, her right hand steadying her rupee-filled bag against her side. As they walked, she could feel the temperature lowering quickly. That was to be expected, though, as winter was still thawing out, and they were headed further into the Tabantha region. What she hadn’t expected, though, was how much colder she felt. Her new outfit wasn’t keeping her as warm as her old one did. It made sense, though; the Yiga uniforms were made with dry desert conditions in mind, due to the hideout’s location.

“It’s around this cliff here,” she then mumbled to Sooga, nodding towards the nearly hidden opening in the rocks.

But just before they could take another step, the sound of someone whistling broke the night’s silence, and the light of a bright lantern rounding the corner appeared.

Alerted to the other person’s presence, Sooga hastily grabbed Rose. Feeling his arms envelop her, she didn’t even have a second to gasp before he’d transported them up to the ruins she’d mentioned before.

Now up above and out of sight from where the other person was walking, Sooga continued to hold onto Rose. But why didn’t he let her go? She then got a closer look at the traveler.

They weren’t a traveler. It was a Hylian knight, marching through the rock formations. He must’ve been patrolling the area around the stable.

Her heart began to pound, and despite the cold air, she suddenly felt heated and sweaty. Rose then began to tremble, as all of the emotions she’d felt in those first twenty-four hours after her family’s death came rushing back over her, like an inescapable wave of grief. She could hear her mother begging for her to run; the sound of her father’s lifeless body hitting the floor ringing in her ears. The burning smell of her aunt’s home, engulfed in flames, filled her nostrils again. The bitter cold biting into her skin as she ran through the snow in her night clothes. It all came back to her at once; awakening a rage that Rose had once assumed to be buried deep inside of her for good.

Feeling uncontrollable anger rise from within, Rose began to pull away from Sooga, eager to tear the Hylian man to shreds. “Of course. One of those damned knights, walking around like he owns the place,” she scoffed, voice low. “If only I could make him feel the same pain my family did.”

She could feel Sooga tightening his hold on her, but she continued to thrash, itching to reach for one of his dual windcleavers, as Rose hadn’t brought her own katana. If she could just stab through that knight’s armor and kill him right here and now; that would be the perfect start to those knights paying for their crimes against her family.

“Contain yourself, Rose,” Sooga gently scolded her, forcing her to stay completely still now. “An unnecessary fight will do us no good.”

His voice tore her out from her rage and back into reality. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes and nodded, relaxing her entire body. “I’m sorry... You’re right, Sooga.”

“I understand your anger,” he quietly said, their gazes still locked onto the man as he began his trek across the large bridge. “But now isn’t the time. We need to keep moving.”

“Yeah… Can you see the opening?”

“I can. Shall I transport us there?”

“Mhm,” she nodded.

Within a second, they were now down at the entrance to Kaysa’s fountain. Rose began heading up the hill, Sooga trailing behind her. Once she was in the clearing, though, she turned to look back at him.

“Um… maybe just stay there. But not too close to the road?”

“Of course,” he gave her a nod. “Please let me know when you’re prepared to go home.”

Home. Sighing with a bit of melancholy flooding over her, Rose nodded. The hideout was her home now. Tabantha Village and Satori Mountain were nothing more than a part of her past.

Turning forward, Rose approached the large flower bud, stepping up onto the petals. Taking a few rupees from her bag before setting it behind her, she tossed the money into the water, then finally called out to the Great Fairy. “Kaysa? It’s me.”

The ground began to rumble, and with a slight splash, the pink haired fairy emerged from the waters.

“My little Rose! It’s been a little while, hasn’t it?”

“Yeah. Um, Kaysa, I wanted to-“

“Oh my! And you have a new outfit? It’s… a bit different, but still incredibly fashionable,” Kaysa complimented.

“Oh, thank you,” Rose smiled. “I made it myself, actually.”

“Did you? Well it looks lovely, my dear. Only… it reminds me of something. I can’t put my finger on it though.”

Feeling a nervous flutter in her stomach, Rose didn’t know what to say to that. Kaysa would figure it out sooner or later, anyways.

“Does it? Well… I have a favor to ask of you,” Rose then said. “I need you to infuse silent shrooms into these sandals,” she nodded to her feet. “I have all of the materials prepared.”

“Of course, my dear. I’ll need about five silent shrooms and two hundred rupees.”

Reaching around for her bag, Rose began to shuffle through it and gather the exact items needed.

“Rose, why do you have a bandage around your back?”

“Huh? Oh, um… it’s a tattoo,” she said, deciding to be honest. How could she ever lie to Kaysa? Even if she wanted to, the fairy would see straight through any lie.

“A tattoo? What possessed you to get one?”

“Hey. You’re the one who decided to cover my arm and leg in markings that look like one,” Rose pouted. “Not that I dislike them, though.”

Kaysa gave a small laugh at that. “May I see it, dear?”

“Um… it’s still healing,” she tried to find an excuse. Anything to delay the lecture she’d inevitably receive.

“Oh, nonsense! If we put some of my fountain’s water on, it’ll heal in an instant.”

“Oh. O-okay,” Rose hesitantly agreed. “Um… one second. Could you infuse my shoes while I… go?”

Kaysa raised an eyebrow, curiously. “As you wish, but go where, Rose?”

“I… brought an acquaintance,” she explained, sheepishly. “I just wanna let him know before I… undress.”

“Him?!” Kaysa gasped. “Oh Rose, you’ve brought a man?!”

“H-he’s kind of my mentor, or… friend. He helped me get here.”

“Sure, honey. I’ll infuse your shoes, but after we heal that tattoo, I wanna see your little boyfriend.”

Rose sighed. “Okay…”

Jogging back over to where Sooga waited, Rose approached him with an anxious feeling in her bones. “Um, Sooga?”

“Are you ready to leave?” He asked.

“No. Um… I just wanted to give you a heads up… Kaysa’s going to fully heal my tattoo, and to do that I have to, um.. undress…”

He visibly tensed, but only nodded.

“And after that, she um, wants to see you…”

“See me?” Sooga questioned. “Why is that?”

Lowering her voice to a whisper, Rose looked up at him nervously. “She thinks we’re… never mind. Like I said earlier, the fairies get weird about men.”

“I see,” he replied. “Shout for me when you’re clothed again.”

With that, Rose headed back up to the fountain, where her shoes now sat at the base of, sparkling with their newly-added upgrades.

“They shouldn’t make even the slightest sound,” Kaysa said. “Alright. Let’s see that tattoo, then.”

“Okay,” Rose turned away from the fairy, carefully removing the belts from her uniform. She then slid off the top half of her kimono, and pulled the skin-tight top over her head, leaving it on the ground beside her. Pulling her hair over her shoulder, Rose then began undoing the bandages from where they were secured over her chest.

With each layer of the dressing being unraveled, Rose could feel Kaysa’s eyes burning into her skin. What would she say once she saw the inverted Sheikah eye, permanently marked onto her skin?

As the bandages fell to the ground, Kaysa loudly gasped.

“Rose! Why is that… that evil mark on your precious skin?!”

“Kaysa, I… I’m sorry for not telling you before,” she felt tears welling up in her eyes. “I had to join. They treat me like family there, and… I trust them.”

“The Yiga? You trust those beast-worshippers?”

“They aren’t worshippers!” She cried, “they only side with Ganon due to what the king put them through!”

Kaysa sighed. “Rose… I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but…”

“I’ll bring you and your sisters even more rupees,” she begged. “Please, Kaysa! It’s where I belong. I’ll do anything.”

“Alright. You bring us each a thousand rupees, and we won’t fuss anymore. But we will only ever help you. Not anyone else involved with that clan.”

“Okay,” Rose fought back her tears. “I understand.”

Feeling the soothing water make contact with her back, a huge wave of relief washed over Rose. Her skin and tattoo were completely healed, at last. “Thank you,” she meekly said.

Putting her clothing back into place, she then looked up at Kaysa with saddened eyes. “…Kaysa?”

The pink-haired fairy hummed.

“I’m still your little flower, right?” She trembled, barely managing to speak.

Kaysa then smiled fondly, bringing a finger down to run over Rose’s hair. “Of course, my little flower. Now go bring me that man.”

“He’s… one of them,” she then said, awkwardly.

“As long as he’s handsome, I don’t mind,” Kaysa winked.

Blushing, Rose rolled her eyes and went to fetch Sooga.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sooga could see Rose approaching him. Hadn’t she agreed to call for him, though? Maybe things had gone poorly? He had heard Rose raise her voice, but was unable to make out any of the words she’d spoken.

“Rose, is everything alright?” He asked, noticing the worried look on her face. She seemed upset, but she was clearly trying to hide it, albeit poorly.

Taking in a shuddered breath, she nodded. “Y-yeah. Um, Kaysa’s ready to see you,” she quietly said. “Sorry. I don’t think I can yell right now, so I just decided to- yeah.”

Perhaps the Great Fairy didn’t take the news as well as Rose had hoped she would. He’d do his best to comfort her, then. Carefully, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and even through his glove, Sooga could feel that she was cold and trembling. “Rose, are you really alright?”

“I don’t know,” she looked down at the grass beneath them. “We’ll talk about it later. It’s best not to keep a fairy waiting,” she tried joking, giving him a weak smile.

“Okay. I’ll help you however I can,” he then gave her a firm nod, which she returned.

Moving his right hand back to rest at his side, with the other laid on the hilt of one of his swords, Sooga followed Rose up the small hill, where a clearing between the large rock formations greeted him. The small area was full of life, many small fairies floating around, with all sorts of vegetation growing from the ground. But the most bewildering thing of all was the giant woman, who sat in a fountain shaped like an extremely oversized flower.

“So this is your little boyfriend, huh, Rose?” The fairy said.

Immediately, Sooga wished he hadn’t agreed to this. Could the fairy sense his thoughts? Would she be able to figure out that he was in love with Rose, and then tell her without warning? Face burning beneath his mask, all he could do was hope that his thoughts were safe in his own head.

“Kaysa, I told you… it’s not.. like that,” Rose stammered, tucking one side of her long bangs behind her ear. “He’s my friend.”

“You can say that all you want, little flower, but I can tell when a man’s in love,” Kaysa hummed.

Eyes widening, Sooga froze. She wasn’t being serious, was she?

The pink-haired fairy then laughed loudly, clapping her hands. “Oh, I’m just joking! But your reaction makes me wonder…”

“Kaysa!” Rose whined. “Don’t tease him. Our master already does that enough, so he deserves a break.”

“Oh really?” Kaysa said. “Interesting. Well, forgive me for not introducing myself. I’m the Great Fairy Kaysa, one of four sisters. And you are…?”

“I am Sooga,” he gave a small bow. “Right hand to Master Kohga.”

“Oh, Rose,” the fairy cooed, “you didn’t tell me he was such a high-ranking warrior! Though I should’ve known, with how strong he looks.”

Sooga wanted nothing more than to transport himself out of there. Rose had been right, the Great Fairies were indeed weird about men.

A few long seconds went by with nobody saying a word. Kaysa kept her gaze on him, and he and Rose both looked around, tensely.

“Is that what you wanted to see him for?” Rose then questioned, looking up at Kaysa, “to stare at him?”

Kaysa laughed again. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you’d be so jealous.”

“H-huh? Jealous…?” Rose stuttered, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “I’m not jealous. I just don’t want him to be uncomfortable.”

“Alright,” Kaysa smirked. “I’ll stop. But really, my little flower, I do approve, even if he’s one of them…”

Sighing, Rose seemingly decided to just ignore the comment. “Well… I guess we have to get going,” she then looked up towards the sky, and Sooga followed suit. The moon was pretty high up, now.

“Oh, that’s too bad,” Kaysa frowned. “Visit soon, okay? And bring Sooga too.”

Why was this fairy so obsessed with him? It didn’t even seem as though Kaysa was interested in him for herself, but rather on Rose’s behalf. That thought played in his mind, and while a part of him wanted to entertain it, he tried to ignore it.

“We will,” Rose gave a small smile. “And I’ll bring your rupees too.”

Kaysa then chuckled, “perfect. Stay safe, my little flower.”

“Sooga will keep me safe,” the brunette said. “I know that to be true.”

Then it all rushed over him. The increase in heart rate, the warm feeling all over his body, and the strange fluttering in his stomach. All of the things he’d once thought of to be bad symptoms, rather than the signs that he was in love. Trying to ignore how desperately smitten he felt for Rose, Sooga simply looked between her and the fairy, waiting for his cue to finally leave. Which would hopefully be soon, before he did something foolish.

“How sweet,” Kaysa clasped her hands together. “Farewell, Sooga. I trust my Rose will be safe in your hands.”

He gave a deeper bow this time. “Of course. I’d never allow any harm to come to her.”

“Bye, Kaysa!” Rose then waved.

“Bye-bye!” The fairy then bellowed, before submerging into the waters of her fountain.

“Shall we transport straight to the hideout?” He asked, turning to Rose.

“Yeah, I’m really tired, honestly,” she replied with a yawn.

“Alright. May I?” He asked, wanting permission before touching her.

“Sooga, you don’t need to ask,” she giggled. “But yes, you may,” she gave him a teasing smile, one that sent a shiver throughout his whole body.

He needed to escape to his quarters, quickly. If this sort of banter continued on any longer, Sooga was sure he’d make some sort of mistake. Wrapping his left arm around Rose, she then put her right one around his lower back, securing herself against him. It felt so good, yet wrong. Sucking in a sharp breath, Sooga used his free hand to make the sign to transport them.

Reappearing in the hall outside of their rooms, Sooga let go of Rose, but he felt oddly… reluctant. Why did he suddenly crave being physically close to her? Had he truly grown so pathetic for this woman? And yet he found himself thinking, who wouldn’t be? Rose was everything; strong, beautiful, kind and smart. He was lucky to even be a close friend of hers.

Despite being free to retreat to her room, Rose didn’t move. She seemed hesitant over something, a visible frown on her face.

“Is something the matter, Rose?” He nervously pried.

“I don’t know,” she answered. “Kaysa had said she was disappointed in me, yet… once you showed up, it was like she didn’t care.”

“I agree it was odd,” Sooga said. “Perhaps she didn’t want to upset a stranger?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Rose replied. “Kaysa isn’t afraid of doing that. I think she just-“ she paused, folding her arms around herself. “I don’t know. Maybe she can just sense that you’re a good person.”

“You think I’m a good person?” Sooga found himself asking before he could even think about it.

Rose gave him a small smile in return. That eased his mind a little, knowing that she wasn’t so upset she couldn’t manage a smile. “Of course I do. I think you’re a wonderful person, Sooga.”

“…you have my thanks,” he muttered, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.

She giggled, the delightful sound making that yearning sensation he felt for her even stronger at that moment. He wanted more than anything to tell her now; tell her the truth about how he felt about her. But alas, it wasn’t the right time.

“You’re getting better,” she then hummed.

“At what?” He questioned.

“Accepting compliments,” Rose replied, with the tilting of her head. Her hair, in its high ponytail, swayed behind her. What he would give to run his hands through her soft locks…

Perhaps she noticed him silently staring, even through his mask, since she then raised an eyebrow. “Sooga? Are you alright?”

“Hm?” He refocused his thoughts, although it was a bit difficult to do so with how sweetly his name had sounded coming from her lips. “Y-yes.”

“Mmm, okay,” she was definitely suspicious of him, as the tone of her voice was heavy with sarcasm. “If you say so.”

Rose then yawned, bringing a hand up to cover her mouth. Looking a bit closer, Sooga noticed she’d cut holes into the ends of her gloves, so that the ends of her fingers were visible. Her nails, once painted a soft pink, were now more of a rosy-red shade. It matched her outfit well.

“I’m so tired,” she then stated. “I think I’m gonna go to bed.”

“It is quite late,” Sooga nodded. “But Rose, I just want you to know…”

“Hm?” She perked her head up, just a little.

“You seemed quite hurt before. If you need to talk about it, do not hesitate to find me.”

“Oh,” she frowned again, looking away. “Yeah, I will.”

“Are you alright for now?” He then asked, voice much softer and lower in volume.

Her eyes met his again. It didn’t seem she was about to cry, at the very least. But her face did look a bit flustered. “I am,” she answered. “I mean, I had expected Kaysa to be upset, so…”

“That doesn’t mean you cannot feel hurt by it,” Sooga shook his head.

“I know,” she mumbled. “I just feel… dumb, for thinking I wouldn’t be.”

Taking a step forward, Sooga placed his left hand onto her shoulder. “Don’t speak that way about yourself,” he firmly said.

Her head hung low, and she sighed. “Sorry…”

“You’re an intelligent woman, Rose. And…” he paused, fearing he was overstepping. But he decided to continue anyway, “forgive me if this sounds strange, but I like how in-touch you are with your emotions. I’d much rather see that than a closed off, cold person.”

She gave him a weird look, but then she seemed to understand, and gave him another small smile. “Thanks.”

“Now, get some rest,” he said, almost as though he were instructing her to. “We have a long day of searching through the records ahead of us.”

“Oh, yeah,” she yawned, her eyes becoming more sleepy by the second. “Forgot about that.”

Ever so lightly, Sooga squeezed her shoulder. As he stared down at her though, he almost thought… would it be inappropriate to move his mask aside, and kiss the top of her head? However, he immediately felt shameful for imagining such a thing. Letting go of her, he sighed. “Goodnight, Rose.”

But before he could fully part ways with her, she suddenly jumped forward, embracing him, squeezing her arms around him.

Resting her head against his chest, she whispered, “sorry. Just wanted to show my appreciation.”

A smile formed on his lips, and Sooga returned the hug. “I don’t mind.”

Squeezing him once more, she then let go. “Goodnight, Sooga.”

And with that, she retreated into her room, leaving him alone in the dark hallway.

—

Dreams of her had kept him restless throughout the entire night. It had started out innocent; he’d first dreamt that they were outside of her cottage, training underneath the sunlight. But then Rose started a game of chase, kicking her boots off and dashing through the soft grass, skipping through the shallow waters of the pond nearby. He’d run after her, deciding to indulge in her childish games. After she’d disappeared behind a thick cluster of trees, Sooga rounded the corner of them, finding her suddenly changed into her Yiga uniform, looking at him with an entirely different gaze now.

Her hands had reached for his, tugging him along as she began to waltz over to her cottage. They’d barely made it to the door when she reached upward, removing his mask and staring into his eyes with desire. But just before he could lean down to kiss her, he’d awoken.

The dreams following that one had been far more intimate and a little less playful. As he now lay awake, almost afraid of going back to sleep, Sooga couldn’t help but think back to it, everything replaying within his mind no matter how hard he tried to think of other things. The feeling of her lips all over him lingered, her fingers brushing against his arms, dragging through his long hair as he held her tightly. He could feel it all so vividly, despite the fact that none of it had even occurred in the real world. Wiping sweat from his brow, Sooga decided he wouldn’t be getting anymore sleep tonight. Rising from his bed, he figured he’d start his day off with a shower, perhaps in an attempt to wash Rose’s phantom touch off of himself. Such distractions would do him no good, after all.

—

After his shower, Sooga had breakfast and then headed straight for the library. He could at least be alone down there, and sorting through all of the books and records would hopefully keep his mind off of how horribly in love he felt.

Although he didn’t have much time to look through anything, because not even ten minutes had passed before a familiar tugging sensation occurred. The energy belonged to Master Kohga, and it felt very urgent.

Immediately, Sooga put the book he’d been looking at back onto the shelf he’d found it on and transported himself to his master, feeling a bit concerned over whatever had the older man calling for him so desperately.

Appearing within Kohga’s quarters, Sooga found his master pacing around the banana horde, and to his surprise, Rose stood off to the side, a worried look on her face.

“Sooga! Thank Ganon you’re here!” Kohga cried, waving his hands around. “You need to get to Faron! A footsoldier just came back severely injured- there’s a lynel attacking our banana-collecting unit!”

Nodding, Sooga understood why Kohga had been so frantic. If bananas were at risk, then it was as though the end of the world had come for the older man. But, he didn’t understand why Rose was present.

“Rose, do you intend to accompany me?” He then asked, looking pointedly at her.

“Y-yeah,” she gave a subtle nod. “Kohga said the two strongest people should go, so-“

“Two strongest, other than me!” Kohga corrected.

“Right,” she said. “But- I’ve never fought a lynel before…”

“You’ll be fine!” Their master waved a hand toward her. “Sooga will keep ya safe!”

“Indeed I will,” he affirmed, stepping towards her. He felt uncertain about her going, but knew he’d keep her safe at any cost. “We must leave at once.”

Wrapping an arm around her, Sooga was quick to transport them to the area that the lynel had proclaimed as its territory. Hopefully, it wouldn’t take too long to find the creature and other soldiers. Because other than himself and maybe Kimo, nobody would stand a chance against a creature as vicious as a lynel.

It didn’t take long before they heard the roaring of the creature. Immediately, they both took off running in the direction of the noise, in what felt like a race against time. Hopefully the footsoldiers had enough sense to abandon the bananas and save themselves.

But evidently, a few of them didn’t. Clearly worn from battle, three footsoldiers held their demon carvers up in a defensive position, guarding a pile of bananas.

“The lynel cares not for the fruit.” Sooga’s voice thundered, as he pulled his swords out and rushed towards the lynel. “You three get out of here, at once!”

Giving quick nods, the soldiers formed hand signs, and teleported themselves away to safety.

“Rose, I shall handle the head-on attacks. You try to attack from behind.”

“Okay,” she shakily said, drawing her pink katana.

With a loud roar, the lynel swung its sword at Sooga, but he was quick to backflip away from the attack. Raising a hand to the blue skies, he summoned inverted eye symbols around the monster, locking it into place. With the lynel’s movement now slowed, he began his kunai attack. It would help to weaken it, but would certainly not be enough to stop the beast.

As he finished that move set, Rose then raised her sword, and as she swung it down, thorns flew from her blade, soaring directly into the lynel’s back. With another roar, it jumped around, now focused on her.

He could see the fear in her eyes. But despite her terror, Rose began to run away from where the lynel was preparing to shoot its arrows.

With the creature distracted, Sooga took his chance to dig his blades into the lynel’s back.

When he did so, the lynel let out a loud, pained roar that would certainly leave his head aching from the sheer volume of the noise. But even with the deep wound Sooga had inflicted, the lynel wasn’t done, yet.

Sliding to a stop, Rose then raised her left arm, vines shooting from the air above the palm of her hand. She aimed the growth at the lynel’s legs, entangling the vines around them in an attempt to hold the monster in place. It stomped its hooves and roared again, but with it now halted, Sooga could attack once more.

Except he never got the chance. To his horror, the lynel was able to break free of the vines, and began to charge towards Rose. She shrieked, holding her hands up defensively. Why didn’t she move? Looking at her with fear he’d never felt before, Sooga realized she was stuck frozen due to panic. Without hesitating, he then dashed towards her, sliding between her and the lynel with his swords raised up, crossed over one another. It probably wouldn’t do much for defense against a lynel, but he’d rather take on an injury, no matter how fatal, than let Rose be harmed.

As the lynel crashed into his swords, he stumbled backwards, his back colliding with Rose. With a yelp, she fell to the ground, dropping her katana.

The force of the lynel barreling into him had certainly hurt, but Sooga was determined to keep the woman he loved so much safe. Slashing his swords at the lynel, he cut it again, but it still didn’t relent. It swung at him in retaliation, the tip of its sword just barely cutting into his upper arm. Sooga’s arm fell limp, the pain becoming too much to continue holding his sword up. Letting out a pained yell, he refused to give up. Now down to just one weapon, he tried to keep fighting.

During that time though, Rose, unbeknownst to him, had gotten to her feet and picked her weapon back up.

Sooga, about to take on another attack from the lynel, was shocked to see the brunette appear in the air above the lynel, her feel landing on its back. She grabbed its mane, stabbing her katana into its neck with a loud cry.

The lynel let out a horrific roar, leaving Sooga’s ears ringing. It raised its front half, sending Rose flying off of its back. She landed in the grass with a pained cry, struggling to get back up.

The lynel then turned to Rose, stalking towards her, preparing to tear her to shreds all while her katana was still lodged in its neck. She didn’t move, continuing to lay on her back and let out strained, weak huffs.

Clutching the spot the lynel had cut with his left hand, Sooga weakly used his right one to raise his sword, hastily running towards Rose before the lynel could let out its fury on her

“Sooga, wait-“ she’d hoarsely cried, but he didn’t stop. Putting himself between her and the lynel, Sooga closed his eyes and erased any thought from his mind, prepared to die for Rose. He would summon a defensive symbol, but with him growing increasingly weakened from the deep wound in his arm, it probably wouldn’t be enough to do more than give her a chance to escape.

With a deafening roar, the lynel raised its sword once again, and began to swing it down, directly towards Sooga. With the small amount of energy he had, he summoned the symbol.

But the impact of the beast’s blade never came. Instead, Sooga heard what sounded like wood being chopped. Opening his eyes, he found that it was a lot darker, as he was now encased in something. Whipping his head around, he looked down to see Rose sitting up, with both of her arms raised, conjuring a thick layer of vines and thorns that surrounded them completely, shielding them both from the lynel.

“I can’t hold it off for long,” she coughed. “Transport out there and finish it. It should be nearly dead from being stabbed.”

“No. It's going to tear through here and kill you,” he protested, glancing back to see the lynel’s blade beginning to peek through where it had been repeatedly trying to break the barrier. “And I will not allow that to happen.”

“I’ll be fine, Sooga. You need to kill it,” Rose shook her head. “Go now, before my powers grow weaker!” She pleaded.

Sucking in a deep breath, Sooga let go of his injured arm, taking both swords in both hands now. It was terribly painful, but he’d fight through it.

Breathing in deeply, Sooga focused his mind, before transporting himself out of the vine barrier. Reappearing behind the lynel, he silently raised his swords, quickly looking for the exact spot he’d need to strike in order to instantly finish off the lynel.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sooga could see the vines starting to shatter. The lynel was seconds away from breaking through and killing Rose.

Running towards the lynel at full speed, Sooga launched himself at it with all the force he could muster; his dual blades slicing into its neck, tearing through its flesh. It wasn’t enough to decapitate the monster, but even so, it let out one final, screeching roar, before falling to the ground and exploding into a purple cloud of smoke.

Rose’s vines then completely shattered, disappearing into thin air, revealing that she was still sitting in the grass. At the same time, her katana fell, clattering against the ground along with the lynel’s spoils.

Her blue eyes met his at that moment. She still looked terrified, yet relieved as she began to get back up. As he looked at her, all he could focus on was the fact that she was safe. The lynel was dead, unable to harm her. He’d protected Rose.

With that in mind, Sooga fell to his knees, instantly losing consciousness.

#sooga x oc #sooga x original character #hwaoc sooga #sooga #sooga x reader #legend of zelda fanfiction #zelda fanfiction #zelda fic #hyrule warriors fic #age of calamity fic #yiga clan #yiga oc #loz fanfic #loz oc #age of calamity #age of calamity sooga

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bldmnrises · 1 year ago

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@vigilantdesert !

the gerudo ; a fateful bunch that has more than once clashed helms at the vigorous chance for glory. honor vs virtue, where strength in core values challenge opposition. it was here, on the dusk-ridden dunes, that an unlikely opportunity struck. . . for an alliance. perched atop a steep rock canyon overlooking the turbulent sands stands the lone warrior of his clan, scar glinting off the amber tones of setting sun.

below, the running figures of panicked clan members, scouring the rising hills and avoiding what spots they can seek refuge on. not one single soldier had expected this horrible outcome - MOLDUGA. it had been height of the breeding season, and the migration towards the canyon walls to corner their mates into an elaborate dance beneath the dunes left their squadron flanking travelling faron comers for bananas in quite the upturn. as spouts rise and jaws come snapping from below, footsoldiers scramble atop rock formations, leaving leader of the mission at odds.

somehow, he must rescue his elite from the maws of unjust creatures - yet further problems arrive on the horizon. a face he knows all too well, approaching with the skirts of sand seal trails flying in clouded droves. sooga must act before heroine comes to doom both the molduga and his clan to the embers of fading electric. a lunge throws him to the air, body stiff as a board yet as fluent as the desert tides, he plunges into descent. . . striking hard and fast into nearby dune. this earns the attention of multiple at once, turning tensions away from his ilk and distracting them long enough for the window of retreat.

if his people could abandon reckless nature, he'd at least stand a fighting chance with words with this woman - rather than swords clashing. and better yet, she'd be no better than them to leave him to the molduga alone.

#sooga! ic.#vigilantdesert #i hope this is ok!!!

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loruleanheart · 2 years ago

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✨ and 🥳 for the ask game ?

✨️ Out of the comments you’ve received on your fics, what are two or three of your favorites?

Ooo, this is so hard to choose... Here's a few....

>>“Could we PLEASE move those bananas off the altar! They’re an eyesore! What a baleful affront to Lord Ganon.”

This made me laugh so hard! I could hear Astor's voice so clearly!

I like how you write the villainous trio! They're so well done. Astor, ambitious and sort of grumpy, really thinking the Yiga are beneath him. Kohga is perfectly irreverent. Sooga is quietly scandalized by how rash Astor seems to him.

I'm enjoying this so far. Special mention to the cinematic mirroring of Zelda and Astor's actions.

(Also I liked the grandness of the prologue ♡) - Sturms_Sun_Shattered, Chapter 2 of Desired Fate.

Everything match to make a believable history and legend for Lorule, down to tiniest details. Despite of the similarities with Hyrule, it's amazing to see how different the triforce bearers of Lorule and their dinamics are. It kind of...fit that Hope would trust Beauty and ignore Reason, then only dim when listening to Reason when Beauty proves deceptive. Their fated cycle of reincarnation seems a much sadder one than that of Hyrule. The trifoces of Lorule seem more beautiful, and those of Hyrule more austerious... Yet, there is hope in Hyrule for all bright hearts after their duty is fillufiled, and they can know true peace however brief. While Lorule is likely fated to slowly descend into despair once danger is dealt with, and the remaining bearers, to live in gloom until a new bearer for Beauty is born for the dance of distrust and betrayal to begin over again. No wonder they would want to destroy their heavy bearing Trifoce. I'm impressed. You seem to be a brillant person.

On another hand, I wonder how you plan to explain that the bearer of Beauty has a huge crooked nose and can't seem to know good taste in clothing himself. Jokes are good, but really, how? - Chrysale (Silvara) on Chapter 18 of The Legend of Hilda.

Alright, I jumped the gun on that one, I thought chapter 24 was the end and I was clearly mistaken. I'm glad I was, though, because I love chapters like this, showing the aftermath of the big finale and how life slowly goes back to normal. Let me tell you, you really have a talent for making these unlikely pairings work, I never thought I'd be rooting for Yuga and Hilda, but you got me there. Astor and Zelda, though, that's even more of a challenge, Astor was such a dimensionless, one-note antagonist and the both of them really had no relationship whatsoever in the game, but you brought to life a colorful and compelling relationship between them that we actually get to see being built. The end result in this chapter, the two being happy and celebrating their soon to be family was so heartwarming and satisfying. I just have to say, that physician, daaamm, the man's lucky he still has a head, Zelda has patience and mercy like no one else, I mean, who the hell does he think he is? Anyway, another scene that impacted me was Zelda and Astor going to the tech lab to pick up the guardian only for their trauma to make taking it to their home and having it near their family unthinkable, ptsd is real. This was a fantastic chapter and an amazing ending! Well done! - Prometheus17 on epilogue of Desired Fate (fanfiction.net)

🥳 Why did you start writing fanfic?

No one else was writing the sort of thing I wanted to read... Or they did, but then abandoned the fic. T_T

Thanks @lize-the-prophetprophet for the ask!

#aks game

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emeraldishappy · 10 months ago

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A Picnic Date to Remember (Garu x abyo)

Read my head cannon to understand more about the fanfics

Tags: Pucca, Garu, Abyo, Picnic Date, Friendship, Unexpected Connection, Fluff, Pucca Fanfic

In the heart of Sooga Village, where love and rivalry often exist in a delicate balance, an unusual invitation unfolded between Garu and Abyo, two characters who usually found themselves at odds. Pucca, known for orchestrating events that tested the boundaries of relationships, had arranged a village-wide picnic. Little did Garu and Abyo know that this seemingly ordinary picnic would become a day to remember.

The village square buzzed with excitement as colorful blankets were spread across the ground, and the aroma of delicious treats filled the air. Pucca, the mastermind behind the affair, had arranged for Garu and Abyo to sit together on a sunlit patch of grass beneath a flowering cherry blossom tree.

Garu, the stoic ninja, and Abyo, the exuberant martial artist, exchanged curious glances as they settled onto the inviting blanket. Pucca, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, had strategically placed a basket filled with an assortment of delectable goodies between them.

As they indulged in the picnic delights, the initial awkwardness gave way to shared laughter and genuine moments of camaraderie. Abyo, with his infectious energy, managed to coax a smile from Garu, who found himself enjoying the unexpected company.

After savoring the last bites of their picnic feast, Abyo suggested a stroll through the village. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom, casting a delicate pink hue over the surroundings. As they walked, the village seemed to come alive with the whispers of nature.

Abyo, feeling the need for a more intimate setting, led Garu to a secluded spot where the cherry blossom petals fluttered down like confetti. With a flourish, Abyo produced a soft blanket and gestured for Garu to join him.

The two sat side by side on the blanket, surrounded by the beauty of nature. Abyo reached into the picnic basket, producing a small bouquet of cherry blossoms. With a playful grin, he tucked a flower behind Garu's ear, eliciting a faint blush from the usually composed ninja.

As they basked in the serenity of the moment, Abyo couldn't help but express his thoughts. "You know, Garu, I never expected a simple picnic to be so… special. Thanks for sharing this day with me."

Garu, appreciating the sincerity in Abyo's words, nodded in acknowledgment. The atmosphere between them felt charged with unspoken emotions. Abyo, sensing the moment, tentatively wrapped an arm around Garu's shoulders. The ninja, though initially surprised, felt a warmth spread through him. The gentle embrace under the cherry blossoms spoke volumes, transcending the boundaries of rivalry.

As the sun began its descent, casting a golden glow over the village, Garu and Abyo continued to share the quiet intimacy of the moment. In the fading light, beneath the cherry blossoms, the unlikely duo discovered that sometimes, the simplest of dates could leave the most lasting impressions on the heart.

Garu x abyo content:20

#pucca #abyo #garu x abyo #abyo x garu #gabyo #my work #ao3 writer #ao3 #writing #writers on tumblr #i love them #LOL #pucca funny love #pucca love recipe #pucca fanfic #fanfic #fanfiction

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needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas · 3 years ago

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Love and gratitude to the Yiga scribe ❤️I am another person who finds comfort in imagining Sooga taking care of me. I've been a bit crushed by some events today. Any chance I could get a little something of Kohga just.... breaking down in tears over something and Sooga comforting him with tea and hugs? No rush, it will be worth waiting (and smiling) for ❤️

I was gonna wait on this one in favor of something else rather saucy, but you sound like you kinda need it, so let’s go!

“Nope. Nope. Fuck you, fuck this, go to hell.”

Sooga was just sitting there in meditation, with Kohga reading his new book, when he suddenly threw his book on the floor, pouting something fierce. Sooga looked at him from his spot on the floor (Kohga always had the bed, while Sooga preferred a small cushion in the corner of the room), clearly concerned.

“Master Kohga? What happened?”

“Celtra is a BITCH! She comes in here, after YEARS of not being in Burlon’s life, and just? Steals my girl’s man? And what she did to Bon Bon?! I CAN’T!”

He watched as Kohga flopped face first onto his bed, banging his fists on the pillows. Kohga always got rather invested in his books, and Sooga thought to leave him be, when he noticed there was sniffing. Master Kohga was...crying? Oh no. He got up from his spot, and walked out of the room. He knew exactly what he needed. As always, a little snack, and some tea, did a world of wonders. Hell, he made it himself (the tea, not the cookies. His were always too hard). He brought it back to the room, lightly nudging Kohga.

“I brought you tea and cookies.”

Kohga sniffed again, hugging that pillow for dear life. Sooga sighed, put the tray on the nightstand, and sat down on the bed.

“Master Kohga? Can you please tell me what exactly upsets you? You know it hurts my heart to see you upset, even for just a moment.”

Kohga got up, wiping his mask with the back of his hand.

“You wouldn’t even get it if I told you, Sooga.”

“But you’d feel better explaining it. I’d like to try.”

Sooga hoisted him onto his lap, and rested his chin on his Master’s chin. That seemed to give him permission to cry a bit more, making it a BIT hard to hear him, but Sooga didn’t care in the slightest.

“Okay so. Celtra is the lost mother of Burlon right? She got rid of her because she like, grew up poor. So she finds her again when she gets to be an adult, and gets super jealous that she’s in a relationship with the duke. So here she is, acting like she owns the joint, and on the day of the WEDDING, tries to off her horse! And I didn’t even know if Bon Bon survived because the book is on a cliffhanger, but dammit the part where Burlon looked into Bon Bon’s eyes...it was a lot for me honestly.”

Sooga had no clue who these people were, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Kohga was feeling a heavy, sad emotion. Sooga wrapped his arms tightly around Kohga, making sure he felt nice and snuggly.

“I don’t fully understand, but I do in fact hope...I’m sorry what was the horse’s name again?”

“Bon Bon.”

“Yes, Bon Bon. I hope Bon Bon is fine.”

Kohga grumbled angrily again, even as Sooga wrapped him up in a blanket, like a burrito.

“May I ask...just why does this hurt you so?”

“Look, I’m invested in the story. That and...well. I like horses. A lot. My mother always had one, so now I take horse stuff personally. Especially Bon Bon. Bon Bon came back from the DEAD to help Burlon find her love in the Valley of Ashes, you best believe Imma care about that stupid horse.”

Sooga was getting more and more lost. But he could tell the story (as well as horses) meant something to Kohga. He leaned over, grabbed a cup of tea, and put it in his hands.

“Here. Just hold onto this for a moment. Holding onto something warm will help you relax. I’m very sorry it made you so sad.”

Sooga leaned down to peck his forehead, and Kohga’s tears seemed to have stopped, but he still pouted and sniffled.

“It helps. A little. Why you smiling?”

“I just..thought all you read was smut. I’m quite surprised to see you reading something that gave you feelings. It’s...cute.”

“What, you don’t think I have feelings?”

Kohga looked at him in accusation, and Sooga laughed a bit, shaking his head.

“No, no, not at all. I just mainly see lust from you. It’s...sweet, seeing you emote something else. You really give me more reasons to love you.”

“Such a sap, just like the damn duke.”

Kohga grumbled, pushing his face away, but very weakly. Sooga loved the small smile on his face, and it made his heart thump in his chest.

“Is the duke as love sick for...what’s her name?”

“Burlon. And yeah, he’s just as lovesick as you. Wanted to marry her since he saw her at the party. Took her forever to wear her down. Two books, actually.”

“What convinced her?”

“Bon Bon chose him.”

Sooga cocked his head a bit as Kohga sipped at his hot tea.

“Wait, the HORSE said to marry him?”

“Yeah the horse is like, magic essentially. If a horse told me to marry a guy, I know I would.”

Sooga sat there for a moment in thought, before an idea popped into his head.

“Would you marry me if I got you a horse?”

“...MAYBE. If it was a super special horse. I don’t want any run of the mill horse. I wanna make every horse jealous.”

“I can get a horse as beautiful and as lovely as you, Master Kohga.”

Sooga buried his lips in his neck, and Kohga blessed him with an honest, true laugh.

“God Sooga, knock it off! You absolute sap! Get off!”

Kohga’s laugh was worth everything. Right now, Kohga’s comfort was everything. Next?

Getting a goddamn horse.

#asks #kohga #sooga #yes #kohga is a horse girl #he loves horses #and let me tell you #he doesn't even to soothe them #they just fuckin #love him #unlike sooga #horses hate sooga #he still have hoof prints on his back

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catsbootleg · 2 years ago

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★ ~ Hello, and welcome to the Star King's Palace ~ ★

★ my name is jade ^^ (he/they/star) (you can call me jay if we're cool) (we usually are)

★ I have 3 main romantic F/Os, and while I do have others, there's only 3 guys who hoard my brain space.

★ It's Papyrus [Since August 2016, Undertale]. He's in the brain 24/7 and God do I love him never ask me anything about him as a character I blow up. and also my opinions/headcanons are. mediocre at best.

★ and I'm also in a triad polycule with master kohga (since june 13th, 2024, botw, aoc, totk) and sooga (since june 18th 2024, aoc [but he's alive in the other games my [redacted] works at nintendo they told me]). but don't tell anybody you saw this edit bc I don't want to have an f/o that somebody out there already has and make them sad or feel odd. also my self-insert is a rito. if you care,,

★ My main interests beyond my sweetheart of a skeleton and the Yiga polycule include...

Splatoon/Mario (I am also generally knowledgeable about other Nintendo franchises and am particularly fond of the N64 Era of games. However, I also am fond of some games from the GameCube, Wii U, and SNES.) (Side Note: As long as Nintendo either distributes their games (capcom/bandai namco) or they're competitors/closely affiliated (sega), I'll know some of their products too. I'm kind of familiar with PlayStation stuff too, but never ask me about Xbox franchises because I will not know anything about them.)

Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (non-manga parts, haven't read the manga yet)

Touhou (UPDATED: Not as familiar with print works unless it's Curiosities of Lotus Asia, but I know the basics of the plot of every one of the main games/am familiar with the characters thus far, except Double Dealing Character and the story of any of the .# games, except SHOSS.)

★ As a side note, I (also) love VOCALOID and UTAU, but that's more of a music thing than an active interest. My favorite (vocaloid) artists are Wowaka, Kikuo, Machigerita-P, mothy, nyanyannya, and Ghost. I also follow a lot of UTAU cover artists (mainly Yokune Ruko users).

★ Changing this section as it was kind of undermining how I am, but I am awful at social stuff, somehow more so online??? (I can talk to people in public but I cannot make friends because my brain does not let me.) I'm trying to improve and stuff, but I still suck at finding the courage to interact or say anything even though I care for those I mutually follow and adore seeing their silly content. (You people know who you are! ,,,maybe) I'm simply a lurker but I promise I think you guys with your ships are so cute and it's canon in my head. I would make you two (or more) in tomodachi life and make you become a couple.

★ You can also ask me anything or just random bs go, it doesn't matter, as I said, I appreciate it lol (and unlike conversations, I can definitely answer and keep up with asks.)

!! proship dni !! i don't want you in my silly blog !! (as well as basic dni criteria)

#promo post #pinned post #f/o community #selfship community #self ship community #lol yea finally did it #wooooo yea cheer me on dude #yea yea #selfship promo #self ship promo #welcome to nerd land #f/o promo

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phoenixcatch7 · 2 years ago

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Gosh, okay, so it's been a couple days since I finished age of calamity and I've had the chance to peruse a fic or two, which is time enough for my initial questions to start getting answered.

So. What actually happened.

Like what happened behind the scenes? What in universe reasoning is there for such drastic changes in circumstances? We've got new characters, new stories, new designs.

The first thing I can say with certainty is that the time line did not, in fact, branch from when Eggy arrived in the past. Somehow, the little creacher managed to land itself in a timeline that had already been long separated.

Why?

Well the first) main thing is obvious - link doesn't have the master sword. How odd. Given how young he found it, and all the chances he would have had since, why not? What was stopping him?

Would it not be in his enemies favour that he hasn't had the chance to train and prepare for the role since he was a child? Who would even know to ensure it didn't happen?

Gee, if only there was a seer 100y ago in hyrule. A prophet of calamity, say.

Imagine if Ganon got his hands on him?

A seer driven half mad, someone with access to rare sheikah tech and the ability to use it.

It was Astor.

And Ganon played him like a fiddle. With the hindsight of the game, it makes a lot of strange things clear. Like what he was Seeing.

Interestingly enough, the divine beasts have all been found. The same champions have been selected, no matter how sabotaged each were. Astors close allies, we learn later. The monsters for daruk, the one lynel finding the missing Prince when dorephan already worried for his children's safety, kogah impersonating urbosa, the harbinger getting terrako mistaken for it.

Instead of a handful of yiga getting intimidated by a fully realised hero when they attack the princess (in a memory), sooga leads a full army to the heart of the kingdom.

He's there in person to try and take control of korok forest, and is shocked by a new master sword power we've never seen before destroying the shadows.

He attacks akkala earlier than in botw. He gathers monsters and uses them in his schemes rather than flooding hyrule with them all at once with Ganon. He tries akkala again, knowing how important its fall is to his plans. He manages to upgrade the blights from what they were in botw. He manages to infuse monsters and guardians with elements. He can recall and deactivate them at a moments notice. It's Fort hateno, an otherwise unremarkable battlefield, that he goes all out, with dozens of guardians, hundreds of monsters, all the blights at once he throws at link without even a moment of thought to Zelda. He was convinced Link would fall.

Astor saw the Breath of the Wild timeline.

He saw things in links memories, he saw us, the player, defeat Ganon. He saw Link die, saw Zelda hold Ganon at bay, saw link's return and the defeat of Ganon. Unlike botw, the Great plateau has already been blocked off (else Rhoam would have rejoined the fight) - no one knows about the shrine of resurrection. Link would have died there, and no matter what Zelda did, that would have meant ganons success.

Because Zelda had strength enough to battle Ganon for a century, but it was Link, not her, who managed to deal the final blow.

Even with the plateau blocked off, there were soldiers investigating the shrine. They were swarmed with monsters, and it was only purahs upgraded teleportation - courtesy of investigating terrako - that saved the day.

Say what you will about Astor, but that man was extremely clever and and cunning, and used his ability to work with sheikah tech and his visions to their FULLEST extent. He was manipulating events to his own advantage, he was ten steps ahead of hyrule at all times, he had backup plans on top of backup plans and he was ruthless enough to use them (killing the yiga for power when they failed). His fanaticism made him come off as significantly less of a threat than he was.

And he was one.

So how did the heroes survive?

Terrako.

That little egg was just enough of a butterfly effect (remember the butterflies everywhere when it first appeared? Not subtle) to give them the chance we needed.

The ability to give all the champions and allies the powers of the slate was just the beginning. That meant they were better able to fight, better able to defend themselves from heavy damage attacks. They could communicate across the battlefield with ease.

The egg could control deactivated guardians. Zelda used it to attack enemy guardians, blow up blockades. Most notably in the first akkala battle.

The egg contained information on the future. This enabled the sheikah to make their own plans in counter to Astor. I believe this is why they went to Fort hateno, with the same foreknowledge Astor had that it was IMPORTANT.

The egg had some hand in calling the future champions, saving every original champion from certain death and crucially enabling reinforcements to reach them in time.

Most importantly, the egg contained invaluable technology, which purah and Robbie uses repeatedly throughout the game to improve their other tech to unprecedented levels, single handedly saving akkala citadel the final time AND saving the plateau (with the shrine of resurrection) and the King himself, not to mention upgrading the fighters abilities even further. Simply put, without Eggy, Astor would have won, devastatingly and even more completely than in Breath of the Wild, the timeline they both seek to change.

But the final thing we learn about Eggy is who created him.

And that was Zelda, against her father's wishes.

In age of calamity, Astor, vessel of ganons hatred, tried to destroy the kingdom.

And it was Zelda's love of her mother and her hobby of tinkering with technology that saved them all.

Take that, rhoam.

#LONG post #Reason 158 mortals shouldn't interfere with the cycle #If rhoam had let his daughter do her own thing Ganon would have been dead by sundown #She probably would have unlocked her powers in a lab accident or something too knowing her lol #This started as a way for me to make sense of the background stuff happening #Astor turned out to be WAY more dangerous than I'd realised #Even half feral he was whip smart #Like how do you even infuse monsters with elements??? How do you even start #Shout out to link for unknowingly being the Queen on the chessboard between the tug of War between Zelda and the enemy #Like always but hey #You gotta respect the princess bloodlines instincts #Always choosing the exact path they would need to survive #Probably that sweet sweet triforce of wisdom #I'd make my point but that would be listing literally every Zelda #Shout out to oot Zelda and ww Zelda especially though #Seriously everything I learn about loz just tells me more about why you shouldn't try and micromanage the hero and the princess #It just makes things ten times worse!#legend of zelda #loz #breath of the wild #age of calamity #Botw #loz aoc #hyrule warriors aoc #link loz #Zelda #Loz #Reiterating:#Long post #Couple things I forgot to mention:

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pocketseizure · 3 years ago

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Their Sworn Duty

While scouting in advance of one of Zelda’s visits to the desert, Impa is surprised by Sooga. He claims that no harm will befall the princess in Gerudo Canyon, which is sacred to the Yiga Clan. Intrigued, Impa asks Sooga to elaborate, and he explains that he and his comrades fight to protect Hyrule. Impa may disagree with the goals of the Yiga Clan, but she finds Sooga to be more sympathetic than she expected. (Also on AO3.)

This story was inspired by Shadow Folk, a brilliant comic by @frankiesbugs. You can find the first episode (here).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Impa hugged her jacket tighter around her shoulders. She had forgotten how cold Gerudo Canyon was at night. How cold, and how quiet. There were no crickets or frogs singing in the grass, nor any nightjars chirping from the brush. The only sound was the soft creaking of the wooden scaffolding that lined the cliffs.There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the pale moonlight was almost as bright as the sun.

Impa kept to the shadows at the base of the sheer rock face. She considered it her duty to scout ahead, but it was unlikely that the princess would be ambushed in Gerudo Canyon. Impa had created a map of their previous encounters with the Yiga Clan, and there had never been any attacks in the area.

Not a soul stirred along the road leading through the canyon. Impa allowed herself a moment to rest before heading back. She leaned against the smooth surface of a boulder and listened to the wind blow through the scaffolding.

Impa remembered coming to Gerudo Canyon as a child after the discovery of the Divine Beasts. The Sheikah had traveled from all over Hyrule to aid in the excavation, and patches of wooden scaffolding sprung up along the cliffs like mushrooms after the rain. It was odd that no one had ever taken it down.

Impa’s thoughts were broken by the plunk of a pebble dropping to the ground. The sound was as quiet as a whisper, but in the silence of the night it was as clear as a trumpet.

Impa sprang to her feet and drew one of her knives. “Show yourself!” she commanded.

There was no answer.

Impa took a deep breath and prepared to toss a flash bomb in the direction of the noise.

A deep voice emerged from the shadows above her head. “There’s no need,” a man said, speaking slowly.

Impa recognized the speaker immediately. The Goddess curse her luck – it was Sooga.

“Put away your blade,” he requested. “I mean no harm.”

“Not a chance,” Impa countered. “Show yourself and state your business.”

“I will do as you ask,” he replied. “I trust you will not attack while I am unarmed.”

“Then come down slowly,” she ordered.

“I cannot,” he responded before jumping. He landed several meters in front of her.

Impa unsheathed her second knife. She resented herself for not noticing Sooga’s presence earlier. He was not an opponent she wished to face alone. If she struck quickly, she might be able to disable him temporarily. It would give her enough time to escape and warn the princess.

“I mean no harm,” he said again. He extended his arms with his open palms facing upward to demonstrate that he was indeed unarmed.

“People who mean no harm don’t lurk in the shadows.”

“You surprised me,” he admitted.

That was unlikely. Even if he didn’t see her approach, Sooga must have heard her footsteps from several yards away. “Explain yourself,” she demanded.

“I come here to train.”

“By yourself? In the dead of night?”

“It is quiet.”

Impa admired Sooga’s reticence. Whatever else the Yiga were capable of, they were awful at keeping secrets. Impa prayed that Sooga wasn’t using this conversation as a diversion.

“You understand that I can’t allow you to report back,” she said.

“The Yiga Clan will not attack you here,” Sooga assured her.

“Do you care to explain why not?”

“This passage is sacred to us. It is a connection to Hyrule.”

A connection to Hyrule? What a ridiculous notion. “Don’t make me laugh,” Impa spat.

“Laugh if you wish. The Yiga Clan will not attack you here. The princess will not be harmed while she passes through the canyon walls.”

Impa glared at Sooga, and his cracked mask returned her gaze. There was no way to be sure, but she didn’t think he was lying. This might be an opportunity to gather intelligence, and Impa couldn’t deny that she was curious.

“Why would a connection to Hyrule be sacred to the Yiga Clan?” she asked.

“We have sworn to fight for Hyrule.”

“Attempting to kill the princess is a funny way to show it.”

Sooga shook his head. “We have no enmity against the princess. She is a victim of her blood.”

Impa was about to ask Sooga what he meant, but it occurred to her that she’d entertained similar notions of her own. Zelda was an extraordinary young woman. With her boundless curiosity and her tireless work ethic, she would have made a remarkable researcher. Were it not for her duties as a princess, she could be so much more than her destiny allowed.

“I’m listening,” Impa said as she lowered her knives.

Sooga raised one of his hands to gesture toward the excavation scaffolding. “Hyrule’s royal family built this. They left it here when it was no longer useful. There are many ruins in Hyrule. So much was built, and then discarded.”

“I’m not following your logic. What does this have to do with Zelda?”

“The boy with the sword that seals the darkness. He is not the first. He will be used, and then discarded. The princess with the sealing power. She is not the first. She cannot win against Ganon, and she will be blamed. The Sheikah know there is no hope in allowing the wheels of this cycle to turn, yet they do nothing. They fear losing their usefulness. The royal family has discarded them before.”

Impa frowned. “What do you know of the Sheikah?”

“I was Sheikah.” To Impa’s surprise, Sooga lifted his mask. Even in the pale moonlight, Impa could see the red glint of his eyes.

“But how…?”

“There are many things discarded in the desert, when they are no longer of use.”

Was Sooga suggesting that he had been abandoned here? “There must have been some accident,” Impa stammered.

“There was no accident, only fate. The Yiga Clan has sworn to allow no one to be discarded. Not by accident, and not by fate.”

Impa considered her reply carefully. “If you were adopted by the Yiga Clan, I can understand your loyalty,” she began. “But I don’t think you understand what Ganon is, or what it can do. It’s not just ‘Hyrule’ that Ganon will destroy, but every living thing in this land. You may not agree with the actions of the royal family, but no political ideology is worth the loss of innocent lives. No worthwhile victory is built on a foundation of death.”

Sooga glared at Impa without responding, but she refused to look away. She wondered how old Sooga had been when the Yiga Clan took him. The Sheikah were the keepers of Hyrule’s hidden knowledge, and their secrets were not suitable for the ears of children. Sooga must not have been initiated into the knowledge of what Ganon was. If he had, he would not speak as he did.

“What you say has merit,” Sooga finally admitted, “but if you knew who Ganon was, you would understand the sworn duty of the Yiga Clan.”

Impa was unnerved by the way Sooga’s thoughts echoed her own. What did he mean, “who” Ganon was? Impa didn’t know, but she would find out. If she was to inherit her mother’s position as the leader of the Sheikah, then it was her own sworn duty to learn everything she could. In the meantime, it did not benefit her to discuss matters she hadn’t yet researched.

“This isn’t the time or place for this conversation,” she said.

“Then I hope we can continue at another time, in another place.” Sooga’s lips turned upwards in a slight smile.

Sooga looked younger when he smiled. Like her, he must have been a child when the Divine Beasts were excavated. They might have even been here in Gerudo Canyon together all those years ago, standing in the same place they did now. How strange that they should find themselves here again, albeit on opposite sides of the conflict that was just beginning to unfold.

“You won’t catch me unprepared next time,” Impa warned him.

“I don’t doubt it.” Sooga readjusted his mask to cover his face before turning his back to her and walking away.

Impa watched him leave and retreat into the shadows. No, this would not be the end of their conversation. She would make sure of it. She might not know everything about Hyrule’s history, but she knew enough to hold out hope that it could be changed.

#Legend of Zelda #Age of Calamity #Impa #Sooga #Yiga Clan #Shadow Folk #damn I love this comic #this is something like a prequel maybe

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