Author's note You ever break up a chapter because you want that last sentence to hang there, I just did.
Disclaimer characters, objects, scenarios, races, and world belong to Nintendo the owners of the Legend of Zelda IP. This is an unlicensed work and is meant for those who played the fun games that inspired it.
Gigantic Optimism Chapter XI Of What was and What Could Have Been
Freshly finished with Naborris' inspection, tea in hand Bacta begins audibly reading the third page of the ancient document.
The First King
"In those days the Gerudo Highlands were settled by a different tribe of warriors neither group was hostile towards the other and several Gerudo took beloved from those cave dwelling peoples. The Highland tribes were slaughtered when gems were discovered in those caves by a splintered tribe of barbarians the Nanoc warriors. Losing her beloved in these attacks a pregnant Gerudo seethes with hatred and when the baby is born, he is the first male Gerudo she names him Kull after his father. She raises Kull in those highlands away from her sistersto protect the first male. She teaches him warfare bathing him in her thirst for vengeance when he is grown the man rallys support from the Gerudo near the highlands and wipes out the Nanoc invaders. Fresh from their victory his troops call for unification of the various raiding parties behind their great leader they turn on their fellow sisters until there is one Gerudo army. Soon he has united the Gerudo and marches on the remaining Nanoc the campaign is short the army is intercepted by a Hylian outpost before crossing a bridge into their land Kull is wounded in single combat with a master swordsman. He retires to Gerudo desert vowing never again to leave. Codifying the customs of the land into a law for his people Kull dies at fifty after ruling justly out of love for their king it is decreed by the elders that the next male born to the desert people be crowned King." But who will succeed to the throne when there is no male like now?
"So our first ruler was actually a man, it explains why that decree is still followed Grandma, though he appears to have lived a contradictory life." "It is not so strange; injury can change people perhaps like Link he suffered amnesia or when getting revenge was no longer possible his priorities shifted towards his own land." The injury dilemma was so stark, the original author had split the section into a page before his defeat and one after. As the two walks over to the sandseals silently agreeing to return to the city. Bacta amazed that there is no evidence left of the Highland dwellers, Riju hopeful for a report from Purah's lab regarding her favorite racer.
At that moment Karlovaa is looking at the to her uncanny alternate versions of herself. There were five total Hylian, Sheikah, Zora Rito and bizarrely a wolf. "No Karlovaa, the wolf was not necessary it was the first thing we scanned we needed an initial test subject it fell into our pit trap we released it yesterday. But forgot to erase it from the model program." Without acknowledging the explanation the Gerudo stares at the wolf on the screen. Her alter ego is slightly larger than natural for the predator, the coat is dark brown, the color of drying mud with light tan markings. The next to receive her attention is the Rito the feathers are bright brown an iridescent shade like the carapace of a beetle. Red as dying embers best describes the highlights quite a lovely contrast. The Hylian and sheikah facsimiles have only a shorter stature and white skin, plus small traits like rounded ears as a sheikah for example, to distinguish from her natural body. Zora Karlovaa is khaki or beige the red is gone she had expected to look like Sidon but the zora model is the closest to her in height, the eyes remain the same it is more familiar than the others. "Wow, Purah this is amazing thank you for this experience, Sidon wants me to see his results so should I go or…" "After he sees them I will check with him." Purah bristles a little cutting off her guest. Setting her heels back on solid ground Karlovaa relaxes, "Go ahead and get Sidon. Aw Yeah" she exclaims Rubbing her hands together in anticipation of being the first to record an image of a male Gerudo for over a hundred years.
Sidon is staring, the monitor hot from constant use "He has been standing there for an hour the others spent minuets watching." Grante observes impatiently "Why the concern Old Man? Bear in mind that an hour is quite short to a Zora and the prince has a short attention span." Dismissing this Purah finishes transferring screen capture photos of the models for the ruler of each district onto separate pictographs. "It's the only one with my eyes. Even so something was not quite right." The Zora is struggling to apprehend this impression and thus transform it from an abstract notion into a concrete reality he suddenly snaps his clawed fingers. Dr. Purah can you have our little friends smile?" A short delay some slight tapping noises and all five are smiling, Now they look like me especially the Gerudo speaking of you can summon Karlovaa now."
Surprisingly to Sidon the Gerudo vai looks at the other representations of Sidon first the pure white, and round Rito, the red-haired Hylian, the sheikah with large hands and broad shoulders, and the vicious, large wolf with white markings and a pelt the hue of dried blood. A chill goes up at the sight of it then "Haha can a wolf really smile like that." Karlova says as she peers over the Zora's shoulder. The wolf somehow retains the signature goofy grin of the prince. "Maybe a program issue I doubt they can." Answers Purah. Their mirth is unable to affect Sidon a life without smiling was nothing to joke about in his opinion. Wresting back control of their moods the ladies, inspect the Gerudo-Sidon. Typical for a Gerudo it has a dark skin tone, round nose, fiery red hair that goes to the nape of his neck, a powerful triangular build, and soft amber eyes are the only commonalities between the two Sidons.
"Karlovaa, would I be allowed into Gerudo city if I was a Gerudo male?"After the morning's entertainment Sidon was curious. Giving the matter some consideration Karlovaa muses aloud,"I have been attempting to figure that out today there are two conflicting laws men are banned but, all Gerudo are welcome in the city I shall ask the queen when I return." Sidon and the Gerudo become quiet both knowing she leaves soon. Purah is turning on her puzzle solving skills such a contradiction driving the curious researcher towards a logical resolution . "He would, be banned because he is not a natural Gerudo I assume you mean if you were transformed into one. However if born into the tribe perhaps they would allow it. Or at least that is my best guess" Satisfied with her logic the researcher ceases her deliberations on the matter. Karlovaa endeavors to imagine how the Gerudo male would be received in the female only city. She fails. It was such a strange visual it would not come. Sidon for his part wishes that the Hylian him had more in common with Link.
Leaving the room the two non-scientists strike up a conversation. "This was a nice diversion, but I hope we can leave soon I need to handle some things in Tarrey town." "Sidon it will be a whole week before I get back don't rub it in." With a wink the prince is encouraged and ignores the potential awkwardness, "Can I write you occasionally, the whole point of this experiment was to help race relations." "Since it is for race relations" her mouth twitches with the effort of keeping a straight face.,"Sure but, only if they are a little informal not every culture is as proper as the zora y'know." Offers Karlovaa, her companion finishes the topic with one last remark ,"Most Zora are not as formal as my former teacher his lessons are hard habits to break but, I will succeed." "Are we still talking about letters?" wonders Karlovaa in her own head, Sidon's drive to prosper at even trifle matters could be inspiring. A little, informality would help him though she would hold him to the oath. His crack about his teacher did explain why the formal speaker avoided correcting other's speech though.
After receiving the pictographs the sun is setting so the two red headed travelers march off for Tarrey town to spend the night. During the sequential small talk, Karlovaa recaps her conversation with Grante "He said he learned all that weapons stuff from books he purchased, he left them in Tarrey Town. It was rather interesting, he only gleaned some of that by pouring over fighting style books looking for a chance mention of a unique weapon." The Prince turns to go before finishing the following sentence. "He has books on weapon styles I need to get back to Tarrey Town." "Sidon, wait he asked if I could send some up from Tarry town , I can show you before I leave tomorrow." Unsheathing his pearly whites, the joyful Zora, shouts "Perfect perhaps I will solve my problem tomorrow." Kicking a stick aside the Gerudo uses some choice words of her language, Sidon recognized them from his meetings with Bacta the Gerudo champion could be very short with him. Hoping his rude departure had not caused the temper flare he waits a couple seconds and the outburst ends. Her anger spent, Karlovaa is embarrassed instead of an apology she seeks his understanding. "I pray my troubles can be solved" With this she is back in the common tongue. Gauging the mood he decides to risk her ire and offer his assistance. "Sometimes the answer to prayer is just a little help from someone else y'know" Replying to him through teeth slowly unfastening from a grimace, she begrudgingly accepts his aid. "I am in a rut I can only win one event and the crowd is stupidly hating me for it." She waits for Sidon to catch up in her fury she had outstripped his long stride. Coming alongside her he provides counsel. "Jealousy leaves when the object does, I used to be jealous of my sister's friend she spent so much time with him than he left, when he came back, I wanted my sister to enjoy his company before he was gone again. My suggestion is to skip this event and train for the next race instead. It will give an exciting storyline for the following year's competition, and who hates a rousing good sports story?" "There might be something in that Sidon next year they will wonder if I will skip it again. Thank you" Her tone is kind she had turned from furious to satisfied in just a few moments Sidon never knew how the racer would in perfect step the two enter the city side by side anywhere but Tarrey town it would have been a curious sight.
The Gerudo royals have read pages five and six which were overall very familiar to the rulers as it discussed the first queen one of Kull's generals the only new piece of information about her gleaned from the manuscript modern legends simply refer to her as a war hero. Page five went over a broad period skating over each subsequent Gerudo King born every hundred years. One unknown to both readers was Lette he had tried to kidnap a Hylian prince to hold for ransom and been killed by a sheikah unit in retaliation, because the sheikah have rarely had the numbers for such an assault it must have been an utterly, ancient story. Riju had been hoping for some mention of the exterminated Zonai people but, none came. Page six covers the period of Naboruu and Gannondorf an even more familiar chapter of their culture's history. More complete records of the time exist so that has been omitted from this record. As Darkness creeps upon the desert, the two hobbyist historians begin the final page.
Founding the City.
Leaderless the Gerudo are desperate their King and his second in command have been slain and left to fulfill her destiny respectively. The joint third in command the witches that raised Gannondorf have disappeared and most of their top warriors are severely wounded. None of the remaining vai have a clear vision they are lost. Many leave to search for the rumored all female pirate group in Termina. A small faction stays loyal to Naboruu hoping she will return, after several days they decide to become followers of the deity Hylia that Naboruu now serves. Their small group leaves the hideout as it is too much to maintain. Wandering in the desert to the point of exhaustion they come across white cliffs and a small sinkhole praying for deliverance. In answer Hylia sends rain for two hours it is a torrential downpour. In awe they watch the supernatural flash flood that began with a single cloud. Creating a new oasis by filling and widening the sinkhole thankful for deliverance the group promises to create a city a two hour march in the direction the first cloud originated from. The March was easy and there was an excitement among the group, after two hours they come across a large rock with water pouring out of it with no discernible source it is a sign. Keeping the oath they build the city fearful of another king they ban men from entering Hylia's city a concept carried over from their last abode. Yet out of respect for the fatal danger of that area and remembering the kindness that spared them, all travelers may partake of the oasis. Eventually they return to their ancestral gods may a king never be born.
…
"They were so lost after the Hero of time that they completely changed, from bandits to self-reliant hunter warriors for one" observes Riju. "You think its all true there was a lot of mystical stuff in that manuscript." Criticizes the younger gerudo she is very naive about the world"You never saw Urbosaa's spirit Bacta I did when I reclaimed Naboris it probably happened." Stifling a yawn Bacta never registers the comment, infectiously the queen also yawns they wish each other good night retiring till morning. Riju wonders why the male stopped appearing was it something about the ability of Gannondorf to return that he never died so no new heir was needed? Or was it due to the goddess Hylia those first gerudo had been her worshipers and the male heir is a demon curse. "A demon curse that gave my people a culture and a government, it reminds me of Zelda, her blessing of the goddess caused her so much suffering." The empty room held no answers neither did the dreams that visited the queen they were of a dark sword. Upon waking Riju recalls that every gerudo king mentioned wielded a sword a curious detail.
AN II, I guess I will handle the timeline question here, I think Breath of the wild is the antitype of Skyward sword it is the ultimate endpoint so I am not very worried with sticking to canon I did dust off my Wii U copy of Breath of the Wild and map out the distance from the Bazar to Gerudo City, I actually had to clean the disk for the game to work. There is also a Conan the barbarian allusion because why not. Next week we have a look through Grante's book collection, Sidon strikes a deal with his father, Karlovaa and the prince also reach an agreement.
Sincerely 4Coyote