"Outskirt Stable," Mipha nodded to herself with a whisper, repeating the words that Zelda was speaking as the Zora woman held the map close to her face, studying the Hylian characters that appeared to signify those two words.

"All stables are more than welcoming to all people of Hyrule, if only because merchants know little else when it comes to who brings them rupees," Zelda smiled, turning her head over her shoulder to catch Daruk's expectant face, "They're also pretty famous for their home cooking."

Daruk's rocky expression rode roughly along his face, unimpressed, "You don't say…"

With a further enticing tone, Zelda continued, "And those two traits often coalesce, meaning there's often more than enough porridge to go around."

Turning his head away with a shrug, Daruk frowned indifferently, leaving Link to mutter unceremoniously, "It's not like you to not be interested in food."

"Pshaw!" Daruk scoffed, "I have other interests, you know!"

Urbosa's lips crept up mischeviously, "Name one."

"W-Well…" Daruk nervously offered, suddenly realizing himself being corralled, though as if in triumph, he threw his hand up, "I like grinding up rocks! Stick a pile of stone and I'll have it fine-ground and ready for-!"

He paused, his eyes growing wide in terror as Link snickered his reply, "Isn't that so you can eat it?"

"You know what, I don't have to justify myself even to a sworn brother!" Daruk assured, crossing his arms, "I'll just hang back here."

Zelda turned her head over her shoulder worriedly, "But- Who's justifying anything?"

Daruk remained stoic in his resistance, just avoiding stumbling along as he held his head up, leaving Zelda to direct her worry to Link, who simply shrugged, "I don't know."

"Sorry," Zelda apologized, "I was just trying to get you all excited for the stables… They're the best things about journeying across the lands."

Revali proclaimed excitedly, "I, for one, am thrilled! I'd turned my beak down to them my entire life- I mean, how could such prominence be upon the earth? Had I known about their wily ways, what with their regular clubs of fisticuffs, I'd have attended much sooner!"

Zelda bit her lip, having exaggerated somewhat earlier, though this was known only by Link, who gave her a suspicious glance as she returned, "Y-Yes! I'm certain Outskirt Stable will, uh, be having one of their gauntlets if we're lucky."

"Bwah ha!" Revali shouted happily, "The sight of seeing such inferior beings beating one another into the frigid earth below to assert some unrequited dominance fills me with glee! Haven't they a clue that we Rito demonstrate our dominance over the very sky?!"

Mipha quietly spoke up, "I don't believe they think that far ahead."

Chuckling with his hands atop his hips, Revali proudly asserted further, "Truly, it makes my plumage puff with elation!"

Lowering her head to hide her teeth, gritted with worry, Zelda simply focused on the path to the stable while Urbosa took the initiative to advance the conversation, "I do believe there is a nearby lake, as well. Mipha, are you in need of water? Forgive me for not knowing just how essential it is, or isn't, to your people."

Mipha smiled with a friendly warmth, "It's no problem at all. As far as I know, it's comparable to the sunlight and Hylians. It's not absolutely as essential as breathing, but if they were to long enough without sunlight, there might very well be deficiencies. Different Zoras require it more than others, as well."

Digging her hand into her waist-hanging pouch, Mipha pulled out a small jar of some viscous-looking liquid, "Plus, I can put this on and it helps my scales endure the open air better."

Urbosa graciously accepted the jar to examine it, with Revali catching sight of it with a disgusted tone, "Ew!"

The Gerudo shot him an unamused stare before turning the jar in her hands, "Huh. Certainly looks intriguing."

Nodding proudly as she took back the jar, Mipha smiled, "This gekari gel is extracted only from the finest octorok globules. It's rare for a human to have the experience to craft some themselves."

Revali still in mid-dry heave, he gasped in horror, "An octorok's what?!"

Noticing nothing out of the ordinary, Mipha simply went on, "Well, first our artisans travel to-"

"Even among my people, the Rito would rather share our own oils to preen one another with!" Revali proclaimed, "We would never look to another species to-"

"Oookay," Urbosa interrupted as she pulled a hand across her face with exasperation, "Zelda, how close are we? I'm going to need a break…"

Zelda pointed along the road, "We just crossed Manhala Bridge, so it should be just beyond that ridge down there."

"Truth be told," Urbosa admitted with a nervous smile, "I, too, am interested in these fighting clubs you mentioned."

Her shoulders just visibly trembling, Zelda grumbled mournfully to herself, pressing on as Link slowed, now that their destination was just within reach, allowing himself to fall to Daruk's side, grabbing his arm to tug at his attention. Despite his foul mood, the Goron couldn't help but respond, albeit with a forcible frown, at his sworn brother's grasp.

"…yes?" he replied with an echoing voice, as if he were being forced to speak.

Link shrugged, "You okay? You're just not yourself, right now."

"Pfft, not myself," Daruk replied sarcastically, raising his arms, "I'm always like this!"

The Hylian's brow rose suspiciously, "Like you're not at all hungry? Daruk, I once watched you pound an igneous stone instead of simply moving it out of your way."

"I'm fine," Daruk rebutted with an irritated tone, "Let's just get this over with and progress with our journey. I'll be much happier knowing our adventure's progressing rather than stalling."

Link frowned unhappily, still knowing his friend was lost in some emotion unknown to him, though before he could further press the issue, Zelda's voice took over, catching the whole Company's attention, "Alright, this will be our final stop before we begin toward Gerudo Desert. Now's the time to prepare accordingly."

"She is correct," Urbosa nodded, "After this, the next merchant hub is the Kara Kara Bazaar within the desert itself, so get your gekari gel while you can."

"Disgusting!" Revali retorted, having already subconsciously begun to preen his arm feathers, his eyes bolting up angrily to stare at the Gerudo woman.

Urbosa only grinned dismissively, growing to take a liking to the Rito's outbursts of disgust toward the rest of the Company's vile ways.

"Weeew hewwo!" came the exuberant voice of the stable's proprietor, a scrawny-looking elderly man hunched over with age, skittering across the dirt to greet the Company, "Weww I say, we d'nt awften have such'n ecwectic bunch a' visitorws!"

Zelda smiled politely, bowing as she replied, "Yes, sir. We're just traveling along together as a company, heading toward the desert."

"Ahhh, th' desewrt!" he exclaimed happily, "We gettin' th' many visitorws comin' through dat way!"

He turned a crooked eye toward Link, half-shrugging and waving him along, "We get th' mainy, mainy Hywians lookin' fer the Gewudo skivvies!"

Link's brow immediately curled incredulously as the old man cackled heavily, his delicate frame seeming to barely be keeping him upright, "Bwah haw haw! A funny buwnch! Come, come; put youwr feets up! Welcowme, welcowme!"

Unmoved, still severely confused by the insinuation, Link simply turned to find Zelda also in a daze, though she was quicker to find herself once the man strode back toward the stable, sighing lightly as she began, "Okay, we all know that was weird."

"Weird?" Urbosa spoke up, "How do you think I feel?"

Grumbling again, Zelda dropped her head into an open palm, "Look, just- We'll rest and gather whatever we need. By the divine right of Hyrulian royalty, money is no object here, so gather whatever you require."

Daruk's shoulders managed to perk up until Zelda clarified, "Emphasis on require."

The Goron returned to his dismissive state.

"And Urbosa, maybe keep away from the desk in there," Zelda groaned.

The Gerudo grabbed hold of her shoulder, rolling her arm in a circular motion, "I can't hit an old man, but any of these younger fools with ideas, I haven't a problem striking them down."

The Company turned to notice the through-traffic that had come to Outskirt Stable. It wasn't packed busy, however, there were quite a bit of buggies and carts, people roaming the countryside in search of deals or exploration, maybe for a place in the world. Zelda's brow turned in sorrow at that final thought, recalling that she'd enjoyed the stables from a child for that very purpose. So trapped was she in her studies- how often had she wished to find her own place in this world.

She bolted to attention as she noticed Urbosa heading off with Mipha, the Gerudo leading the two of them toward the cliffside lake that rested to the northeast, with Urbosa explaining, "You must show me how this gel works. Does it work on skin? Y'know, I'm constantly in the sun, and some of my ladies, they're deathly afraid of blemishes. Not me, of course."

Mipha shrugged, her voice too soft to be heard as they pressed on, leaving Revali to scamper of next, covering his chin with a curious hand as he scouted out for a gang of Hylians prepared to throw down. Zelda sighed, turning toward Link and Daruk with a weak shrug.

"Well, it's just us now, I suppose. Would you care to peruse whatever wares we can come across?"

She turned, knowing Link would follow regardless, though upon leaving the entrance to the stable, she failed to notice Daruk simply remaining still, remaining silent as the two strode away. He watched them carefully, his brow still turned in forceful resignation, though as his glare turned, examining the stable as a whole, his brow turned in worrisome apprehension, as if he desperately wanted to be anywhere else.

Daruk had taken to sitting there on the edge of the stable, his eyes glued to whomever in his Company entered into view for as long as they remained within sight until they made their way back behind, or within, the stable. Arms still crossed, he noticed Link come into view, his face turning in curiosity as he hadn't Zelda at his side, though he quickly returned to his air of indifference once Link began to approach, the Goron turning away dismissively.

Link, with two bowl of porridge in his hand, made his way up to the Goron, his own face remaining tenacious as he balanced the soup, eventually coming to Daruk's side before sitting next to him, offering up the second bowl.

"It's good," Link goaded, though Daruk had none of it.

The Goron shrugged, "I'm busy."

"Busy with what?" Link challenged with a sigh, sitting the extra bowl down so that he could eat, himself, "Y'know, I hate seeing you like this. Your jubilation usually serves those around you quite well. I mean, except Revali, but that bird wouldn't know a good attitude if one bit him on the ass."

"Where's the Princess?" Daruk wondered immediately.

Link lifted his shoulders as he replied, "Urbosa'n Mipha are with her. I asked them to bring you something, but she assured me that I'd have a better shot breaking your tumultuous streak."

A clue, Link noted as he took a steaming bite of porridge. Daruk was sitting over here concerned about Zelda, and perhaps, the rest of them? What was he worrying about? and more than that- what had this man to worry about at all? Still, Link didn't want to push him, Daruk remaining one of the few people he legitimately enjoyed being around within the Company, so he remained quiet as he ate.

His eyes raised as he watched the ongoing traffic along the through road, Link finished chewing before speaking up, "A portion of my job as a knight is to come across these adventurer's stables and check in on them or keep watch if there are concerns among the workers. Apparently, back when the races didn't get along, these outskirts of Hyrule Kingdom remained vacant, so it was less troublesome for us. In a sense, I'm happy to see Hylians feeling free to explore the world, but- it certainly can be troublesome with the added workload. Just goes to show, prosperity has it's own challenges."

Daruk's brow flinched as he turned a stare down toward Link, "What are you trying to say?"

Link shrugged, lowering his face back toward his bowl for another bite, "Nothing. I'm just saying, if you're worried about the vagrants and travelers- it's as safe at these stables as it is in back in the Castle. You needn't worry."

His body tensing, Daruk asked, "You think I'm worried, is that it?"

Link turned his head indifferently, "No, but- You just seemed apprehensive is all. I think it would be unwise to assume that, given your size, you, or any Goron, would be devoid of worry."

Daruk's eyes turned, his expression gently beginning to turn at his sworn brother's words, recalling how much he genuinely respected how understanding this Hylian was. He remembered most of his contact with Hylians, especially at the beginning of the period of time Link had referenced- when Hylians first began expanding outward during this current era of goodwill amongst the people of Hyrule. Only three generations of royalty ago, Zelda's great grandfather had ruled with an iron fist, believing that the moniker, 'Kingdom of Hyrule', was a sign of divine right- that the kingdom was named for the world as a whole because Hylians were to conquer it all.

At the turn of the age, Hylians were left with both freedom to roam, as well as a generation's amount of superstition and intrigue in the Gorons- the gigantic rock-men that were as monstrous as they were powerful, leading to wayward Hylians charging up toward Death Mountain to take on and kill a Goron, with as much prestige as such a thing would bring. Stories of damsels being kidnapped by the rock-men were abundant, and while a Goron hadn't ever killed a Hylian, there was the occasional 'rolling' of such a belligerent Goron-hunter down the hill.

Recognizing how troublesome the post-war situation was, the Goron elders decided to retaliate, not with violence, but exposure, sending out merchants, ambassadors, hoping to alter the general perception of them across the entire land, not just Hyrule Kingdom. Soon enough, the desire to scurry off to kill a Goron, the fiercest of all warriors, began to wane, quite readily, once it was known they were not only fierce warriors, but rather friendly and gracious.

Archaic emotions remained, however, which Daruk thought about as Link finished his porridge, the scratching of his spoon along the course bowl bringing the Goron back from his reverie. At the time he'd met Link, he recalled how taken he was by the unafraid Hylian who didn't take his people at appearances. His elation only built higher when Link proved, not only for mere sport, that he could rumble with the best Gorons, but could even win against the younger ones. The Hylian had skin of iron and a will of brimstone, Daruk recalled, shattering his own opinion of Hylians.

Daruk's back crawled as his eyes bolted toward the stable at the uncomfortable feeling of being stared at, meeting the glares of a handful of Hylians who looked an unsightly bunch. He turned to Link, who seemed oblivious, returning to the gang of Hylians beginning to approach them. Uncertainly, Daruk's expression turned to one of concern as he shook Link's shoulder, much to the knight's surprise.

"Uh, Link, do we, uh-" Daruk stammered, his demeanor forcing Link to turn ahead to discover the source if his sudden apprehension.

"What, those idiots?" Link muttered, "There's only four of them. If they're gonna cause trouble we can take 'em down."

Daruk's brow raised in worry, "But- But Link, I-"

The gang crossed the road, leaving Daruk to hide his fright as best he could while the leader of the pack sniffled a gross loogie back into his nose, running a wrist across his face as he sized the Goron up, "One ugly lookin' rock ya got here."

Link shrugged, "You've got a pretty ugly rock face yourself. Must go with the rocks in your skull."

"Tch," the creep snickered, taking a moment to revel in the chorus of chuckles surrounding him, "Ya got nerve fer someone hangin' with a pet rock. C'mon."

Daruk's eyes went wide as the man squared up, as if taking on a fighting stance, hopping in place, "C'mon now! I'm th' strongest Hylian in the world! I'll knock ya face in!"

Taking his turn to chuckle, Link watched the man raising his dukes toward Daruk, noticing the tinge of alcohol in the air from his breath, "Your pebble of a brain is cashing in what your body can't withdraw, I hope you know."

"Hey, shut the fuck up!" the man cried, his cronies now with their eyes set on Link, "I've torn up windows with rocks bigger than this thing! C'mon! You too scared?"

Link worked his way to his feet, sighing, "Dude, look, we're just-"

Daruk gasped in terror as one of the thugs slammed a blimd-siding punch into Link's face, sending him to the ground as the others followed, pinning him down to allow the head honcho the freedom to battle Daruk on his own, leaving Link to struggle with a fierce voice, "GHH! Daruk! Beat their heads in!"

The Goron remained still, frozen in terror as the thug grew impatient, "Fackin' deadweight! Come on!"

Daruk worked his way onto shaky feet, "I- I dint want to hurt you, just-!"

"Pfft! Hurt me?" the dude cackled, "I've passed stones bigger than you! Now just-!"

He threw a massive punch right into Daruk's stomach, a mmessily gruesome CRUNCH tearing through the air as the confrontational atmosphere deteriorated in an instant. The thugs atop Link watched their leader in abject horror as he pulled his hand away from Daruk, his knuckles having burst, leaving his fingers a mangled mess, all while Daruk had turned his head away in fright, still shaking in terror.

"G- Gh-…" the thug muttered warily, finally releasing in an outburst, "GAAAAAAAH!"

He wrangled his hand and pulled in against his chest to ease it with compression as Link took his chance, making a well-placed kick into one of his assailant's faces, the lot of them frozen by their leader's bloodcurdling scream. The other two confused, Link quickly punched one before slamming a knee into the third, forcing himself to his feet as the gang began skittering away, each nursing a painful portion of their bodies as Link kicked the dirt at his feet, angrily spewing at them.

"Yeah, now you run! Fuckers," he snarled venomously before lowering his head with a sigh, reaching a gently hand to his face to prod at the painful spot around his eye, "It was dirty as shit, but it was a good punch nonetheless. Ow. Hopefully Revali got his kicks."

Daruk shivered, his voice stammering in kind, "L- Link, I'm so sorry, I-! I just-!"

"Link!" Zelda cried out, she, Urbosa, and Mipha charging up toward the two of them, skidding to a stop before them, "We heard a yell! What happened?!"

Link grumbled, shaking his head, "Nothing two sworn brothers can't handle. Some jerks decided to pick a fight."

Without a word, Mipha had quickly made her way past the other two women, her face contorted in unease at the bruise atop Link's face. She raised a hand, its scales beginning to glow with a yellow light that almost seemed to weep droplets of golden light to the ground as she reached up, gently pressing her open palm atop Link's eye. Familiar with such a thing, Link didn't bother showing any resistance, even as Zelda and Urbosa looked on in curiosity.

"Thanks, my lady," Link offered, forcing a grin to form on Mipha's face.

She hid a giggle, "Reminds me of when you got into sparing matches as a child in our halls."

"At least I've never come across a dishonorable Zora. Freak took a swing out of nowhere," Link complained, gesturing toward Daruk, "He's the real hero. Took a swing that did more damage to the guy than him."

Mipha turned warily toward Daruk mid-healing compress, "Do you require healing as well?!"

As though taken off guard by such a question, Daruk quickly shook his head, "N- No, I'm fine."

Mipha smiled, "Might be for the best. I wouldn't know where to start "

"I believe the best remedy for a Goron," Zelda began in earnest, "Is just to massage some coarse earth on the wound until it solidifies back into place."

Urbosa's lips spun in distaste, "Maybe that old dude was just wanting to perform medicine on me."

Zelda eyed her at the poorly constructed joke, leaving Mipha to finish up her healing with a soft voice, "Your bruise should leave with ease, but your skin will remained blemished until it naturally progresses. There should be know pain, though."

Unable to nod with the cold skin of her hand still pressed into his face, Link simply replied, "You have my sincerest thanks, Lady Mipha."

The Zora smiled with mild elation at being of use, wholly noticing of her lingering touch, too enraptured by the warmth being taken in my her skin along Link's face, only coming to the realization as Link's open eye slowly turned toward her hand, forcing her to recoil in shame.

"S-! S-! Sorry!" she cried, holding her hand against her chest.

Link only smiled lightly, "It's fine. I don't feel any pain; after that, you could do anything to me and I wouldn't have grounds to complain."

At such words, Mipha was quite happy that she was unable to blush.

Zelda sighed, "Alright you two, we're going to finish up and head out within the hour, so you two be prepared as well. Urbosa, did you get those frog eyes we purchased? I don't want to be getting swindled…"

Her mentor grinned, knowing Zelda to be self-conscious of most of her interactions out in the world, directing her back toward the stable, "Dear, even if they're still back there, it's not as though we forfeit the purchase simply by walking away for a moment."

"I- knew that…" Zelda muttered quietly to save face.

Mipha followed as well, her head held low as her mind remained awash with possibilities after Link's words had overpowered any sort of rationality she might have possessed. This left Link and Daruk alone, the Hylian taking stock of their situation and grumbling under his breath upon noticing Daruk's overturned cup of porridge.

"Aw, man," Link frowned, "Sorry about that."

Daruk launched his head to the side, staring at Link incredulously, "You're sorry?! Link, I couldn't be more sorrowful of my inaction! I'm so sorry, brother! I- I just-…"

Link shrugged, revealing a boyish smile, "No harm done. Literally. I know you've got stuff going on, so- I mean, we're sworn brothers, right? I've got your back, regardless. If I'd died, that might have been a different story, but short of that."

"Gah!" Daruk cried out in anguish, "I dare not wish to imagine such a fate! Link, I- I'm so sorry."

The Goron dropped his head as he fell backward, sitting there with a downtrodden expression, earning both Link's interest and his repentance, as he began with a grumbling tone, "I was just…scared, I guess. I- You know I'm a Goron champion, but such things come as a result of me crashing into other Gorons, people who wouldn't crack no matter how hard I tried. When I see a Hylian, or- any smaller being, really, I- I don't know. I get so terrified that I may end up accidentally doing something I might regret. something I cannot turn back from…"

"Foothill Stable, just beneath Death Mountain- it often had plenty of Hylians looking to pick fights, so when I see a place like this, I just- You're different- I can wrestle you and not have a care 'cause I know you'll persevere, but-" Daruk mournfully recounted, "The worst are creatures that seem to actively seek out my tremendously lethal grip or grasp. I see a barking dog running up to me, unafraid- those are the absolute worst…"

Link smirked, "I think they're just trying to say hello."

"I know! and that's the worst!" Daruk mused dramatically, throwing his open hands against either side of his head, "Haven't they a single clue that such a thing might be death if I'm not careful enough?!"

Lowering his head to hide a sincere smile, Link easily replied, "Look, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You wouldn't hurt anything. Remember that butterfly that landed upon your arm as we descended Satori? That's a creature as well, right?"

Daruk managed a smile, thinking of the multi-colored animal that had spent a few moments atop his rocky skin, "Y-Yeah, I suppose so. I guess it just goes back to when we Gorons were all so solitary, I mean- I spent a many great centuries not having encountered another people outside of lava lizards."

"Well, now might be the time to do so," Link smiled, "You've tremendous power in your arms. Half of having that much power is knowing how to not use it at times, you know. You might not have needed to practice that up in Death Mountain, which is more like a Goron playground than anything-"

Daruk chuckled at the thought.

"-but as long as we're out doing all this- You know I have my reservations, but I've been thinking. Even if this entire quest is nothing more than a crock of whatever- If we all can improve ourselves, I suppose even if it ends with nothing, it'll still have been worth the time."

The Goron smiled at the thought, "I suppose for one so skeptical as you, that might be a good way of looking at it. What about you? What have you to improve upon during this journey?"

"Me?" Link asked with a wry grin, "I can wrestle a Goron to the ground and snuggle with a dog- I'm already golden."

Daruk let loose a boisterous, rousing laugh that seemed to shake the earth beneath the two of them, clutching his chest as his hearty laughs overtook his breaths. For Link's part, he lowered his head with a softening smile, wondering about Daruk's question more deeply than he'd originally given it credence. Mipha was learning to read Hylian, Daruk might be learning to better manage both his fear and power- Revali had better learn some manners. But what about himself?

He kicked the dirt at his feet as he wondered silently, Daruk working his way back to his feet as he shook his head, "The time for sorrow has ended, brother. What's say we get some porridge before leaving? I do believe Zelda mentioned taking all that we could?"

"Uh, that might have been an exaggeration, but-" Link cautiously assured, the two men jumping as the sudden, shrill voice of Revali pierced the air like one of his arrows.

"I MISSED IT?!" they heard him cry out in abject horror.

Link shrugged, "Well, Zelda was also exaggerating about those fighting clubs, but I suppose for Revali's purposes, it came true. Maybe the same'll be true with the porridge."

Daruk slammed a fist against his chest in triumph, "Then let us imbibe while we can, brother! If we cannot, we will find a way to make it so!"

It was a sentiment that stuck with Link for a while after.