Author's note. I thought I could tell this in twelve chapters this is when I gave up on that idea. Something small I noticed is that I decided to render the plural of Zora as Zora so it may be hard to tell at times which one I am using but, I just did not like how zoras sounds. Also Aliquis may be hard to say but, it is a Latin word used as a joke on a famous fictional captain, and you can always make like Paul Simon and shorten it to Al.
Disclaimer The legend of Zelda franchise is owned by Nintendo including, the world, races, events, characters, and anything else from that IP. I am in no way affiliated with that company. They even own the lens of truth which reveals when fans work on hidden projects This is an unlicensed work and is meant to be enjoyed by those who played the radical game/s that inspired it.
Gigantic Optimism Chaprter VII Dorado of Tarrey Town.
It was a small fishing vessel at anchor near In Akala Lake Captain Aliquis of the Gentle Breeze was in deliberations with his Goron brother Bunia. The two fishermen had become close after a fateful night when the Hylian had been drunk enough to try a small piece of his friend's rock roast it had cost the man a small molar but it had been a fair trade to enlist this new Goron brother nicknamed Boon for his help with hauling in nets, the two of them could handle almost any amount of fish and it only required three to bring the ship in. "The little morsels must have swum deep below today, he is usually back by now Al." The Goron had his hands threaded together tightly, which was one sign of his state of mind the other was his furrowed brow. " He should be back any minute now, mate he probably just got distracted. Heh, he might come up with some of those black pearls said to be in the lake I would keep an eye out if I was a zora." The captain ever an opportunist thought the only true silver lining comes when a silver rupee was lining his wallet. One other characteristic is worth noting Aliquis' swagger, bravado, confidence, or some pure distillation of the three makes him a hard man to describe physically everything was exaggerated in the minds of his acquaintances.
Several leagues away the third member of the all-male crew of the Gentle Breeze was distracted but, with his own thoughts, "The prince should be here tomorrow I have to decide when we make port." The small brown zora with green eyes cast his gaze far and wide hoping the large school of fish had moved away from the submerged rock point he was circling so he could loiter and think a little while longer. A small sonar click came from the zora, punctuating his next statement "Nope the little bottom feeders are still there time to report, if I stay out much more my folks will worry."Inspired by this desire to shelter his parents Dorado decides. Dorado sped off at top speed a sight none of the other races have the pleasure of seeing, it consists of a stream of bubbles, and a swirl of water flowing behind the zora like a flag in a high wind flutters from a ship's mast.
In a matter of minutes Dorado was breaching and was on the ship. His tarpaulin cloth, which he had begun wearing after joining the crew three years ago shedding water faster than he did. "There you are lad, Boon was all set to start rolling around the ship he was so nervous." "That is not important where are the fish." Said Boon "Not far first mate Boon." With minimum preparations they had soon hoisted the anchor and turned the ship towards the promised bounty. Dorado rode with the men because he liked to watch the two work and rib each other, he would not be needed to assist in the steerage until they made port. "Fish Ahoy captain!" with this the brown Zora dove into the lake and could be seen herding additional fish into the net's desired path. Down went the heavy, rope net that could hold many, many fish and it was full to bursting.
The small ship made its way to Orson Construction harbor on Lake Akala the small pier housed three other fishing vessels all native to Tarrey town the brightly colored buildings were a nice contrast to the somewhat dingy pier. The haggling for the sell of the fish to Trasson the harbormaster of Tarrey town is loud Captain Aliquis still bitter he could not get the Orson Construction Company discount because his mother had decided on Aliquis rather than Aliquison. "I am only missing two lousy letters." Became the Captain's favorite grouse. The Tarry town courthouse made quite a tidy sum yearly from it's lucrative name changing office. Unable to make up the discount price completely the fisherman settled for his usual fee. The fish were packaged in barrels and transferred to the harbor master's care that, distinguished businessman would see that his workers load them in a wagon bound for a minuscule sized dock on Akala beach where they would be sold to Lurelin village supply boats for their fish market. Trasson would charge his buyers significantly more because this was the only source of freshwater fish the sea fishermen could obtain.
Having received his customary 10% Dorado begins to cross town, past the tailor, the general store, the goddess statue, and the inn now complete with a Noble Pursuit selling bar area. Soon the just dismissed worker was out of the town all together for his parents were merchants but operated outside the land bridge that was the only entrance to the burgeoning settlement. Soon Dorado was inside the Luminous stone building labeled Mendo's market. The titular Mendo was Dorado's father and had set up shop with a seamstress friend of his who had migrated to Tarey Town with him, their dream to sell traditional zora tunics, and ornaments consisting of luminous stone trinkets, and intricately woven rope necklaces/bracelets. With a generous start up loan from his brown scaled stone mason father and the promise of building a proper luminous stone shop upon repayment the two were able to establish themselves quickly. Slowly the inventory had shifted to include various travel goods as well hence Mendo's market rather than clothes store. His mother was operating the counter she had the darkest scale colorization he had ever seen a pure oil black that allowed her green eyes to gleam bewitchingly. His mother had been a visitor to Tarrey Town for she had begun writing a travel memoir shortly after Ganon's second defeat How to see Hyrule; the Travelers handbook by Kora the zora had been a moderate success but, most people in town had read the work as preparation for their journey to it.
"So, Mom where did you go today?" "oh here and there." The mother and son liked to pretend that Kora was working on her next book and it was now a running joke that had been running so long it could join the Hyrule Post office and stood a good chance of beating the post master's best delivery time. "Your father is waiting in the storeroom, for you dear." "Oh, no he found it!, today after I have made up my mind not to do it. This should not take long." hoped the young one for he still had to do inventory. Mendo was the standard height for a hylian, his light purple scales and blue eyes fit his genteel disposition all of which had stood him in good stead as a shopkeeper. The vendor was holding a small notice from the Tarry Town Mayoral office. It is not required to give the notice here it was largely official jargon and set the conditions for applicants to the Zora championship selection process headed by Sidon.
Turning the notice over in his fins Mendo gave his judgment of the thing "From what I was able to gleam from that poor confusing document. The prince wants his replacement to be from here and seventeen year olds are eligible." "That is what it means though I am not sure that is what it says." Agreed the brown zora he was familiar with the mandate having been unsure whether to apply for a week when it was first given. " Did you get your application in today it is the last day?" Deadlines are taken very seriously in the construction company ownedTarrey town. "I decided not to there are just too many others and if I am selected it becomes my job to shoot Calamity Gannon. I do not really see the appeal anymore I, I was going to tell you once I started to apply but, I never did." At first the job had seemed like a respectable way to strike out on his own and do some good other hopefuls had soon convinced the teen however, that it would be all action thus only the bravest and the strongest need apply. Most had been sneering when they said it.
Mendo had moved and was now sitting on a barrel a small puff of dust was disturbed when he did so. "I think if you can answer my two questions I think you will see a reason to go through with it. "Why did you start helping Aliquis?" His jaw was agape, his eyes bugged then Dorado began to scratch his chin processing the unexpected question. "He needed help they both would have had to leave if no one stepped in." There had been too much fishing the lake was depleted the other boats had made enough for the season due to the Orson Construction discount. Aliquis had been desperate enough to take two fifteen year old zora . "My second question son is how did you feel when Reypha rescued you?"
It was an event only those involved knew about, three years ago they had been fishing Dorado was below the net keeping the fish in when the ship was struck by a wave pitching the vessel forward the boat struck Dorado a glancing blow and the deckhands had dropped the net on top of the unlucky Zora. The net was taught, wet, it was on his gills he could not breathe, he was so weak "I just have to bite it." Was the boys mantra he lacked the strength his head still spinning, his pulse still throbbing, from the blow. Reypha his female then fifteen-year-old friend who had also agreed to help on the boat, she had chewed him out of the net and brought him to the surface. He had been heartbroken when they left for Zora's domain the next year. After her father's restaurant had failed. Realizing he had never answered his father Dorado said, "I felt relieved, stronger, wiser and I will always wonder what if she had not been there?" " Just as I will always wonder what would have happened to the domain if Sidon had not been there to help Link stop Vah Ruta"
"The zora in the domain know the danger Mipha did die" continued Mendon "I want to make sure you understand that son. When Hyrule was threatened again they turned right back to the royal family it even goes back to when king Dorephan threw that guardian off a cliff perhaps it is time other zora step in." That reminds me of a story" "Please not the prince versus the giant Octorock story" groaned the son inwardly. "I met the Rito champion Teba once he was in town buying bomb arrows at the slippery Falcon" he clarified having never told his son this story. "I asked him why he had become champion." The vendor had received a brief answer from the visiting warrior" I admired the first champion and had endeavored to learn from his example and someone had to help my village."
None of the other applicants had received advice from a champion albeit second hand it started Dorado thinking. "Was it really that easy learn from Sidon and be willing to help I can do those two things" Dorado said to himself. "I will try then Hyrule might need my help." A brief emotional hug then snatching the paper from his father Dorado ran to town hall the last name added to Sidon's list of applicants was "Dorado of Tarry town." That night the bearer of that name slept peacefully for the first time in a week.
Authors Note 2
I guess I will just use these for teasers since I am still ahead of what I am posting here. If I catch up or finish these second notes will become progress reports. Next week Sidon arrives in town and the selection competition is forward to meeting all the competitors. Until then stay optimistic.
Sincerely, 4Coyote