Authors note In case you skipped that chapter time to see what Dorado learned from Mipha's diary.
Disclaimer Zelda is owned by Nintendo including monsters, characters creatures races and locations. This is an original work not canon to the series and unlicensed it is intended as a supplement to the signature games that inspired it.
Gigantic Optimism Chapter XIX Accepting the Champion Mantle.
A deer peeks its head out from a bend in the trail it senses something by its favorite watering hole, seeing a brown form huddled there it retreats to the woods, leaving no trace. The brown form with its legs in the water is Dorado the young zora was too preoccupied to notice his temporary guest's arrival or departure. A lapse of judgment that, would precede a Sidon scolding if the young zora was not alone at Rallis pond. Dorado had finally mastered archery he no longer had an excuse to visit Reypha, who had returned to her regular guard schedule. Dorado is mending his battle net in a show of defiance toward his despondent mood. He had first tried reading the late champion's diary, then the comparisons to this seemingly perfect young heroine had soured his mood from sadness to melancholy. "How tough it must have been for Sidon to live up to that, but he did and I have to deal with both of their shadows." These and other like thoughts had been festering in his head since that morning roaming by the statue of Mipha had been counterproductive so here sits the future champion net tattered, and cloak in disarray.
"Why did he pick me? I can fight but fighting is not the job if I cannot pilot Rutah why am I here? I thought Mipha would supply the answers but she had the easiest time mastering the weapon well not easy she barely slept or ate till she mastered it." Dusting himself off Dorado begins to leave he reches down to close the diary copy and sees an attention grabbing sentence it was the entry before she masters Rutah.
"Dear diary I feel I am getting closer to understanding her, I decided to aproach operating her the same way I activate my power and I am so close. I have to succsede Sidon and Link's old friends are playing kid soldier again they keep hovering around Rutah no matter how much i scold them." The entry continues for a few more sentences that Dorado does not read he is preoccupied with new thoughts "Who could that group of kids be? There was only one close friend of Sidon's that i am aware of." Finishing his preparations he wonders if Baz could help him.
Baz is leaving the Reypha family restaurant the Pleasing Platter when Dorado bounces off of him with an ooph! "Oh hello master Dorado where is the flood!? I have never seen you move that fast." Catching his breath Dorado decides to sit for a minute. Once he is sufficiently recovered he fills Baz in on the details. "You see Dorado Mipha was protecting Hyrule that is why she was so driven to succeed." "I do not think so captain all the other champions had that reason too and she was the first. Why was she the first?" Putting his fins up in a clueless gesture Baz reneges, "Hyrule is exaggerating really she just wanted to protect her future affiance" Technically they were not engaged Link never accepted the gift, but Baz knows his childhood friend too well he saw the wedding as a forgone conclusion. "Kid I should have told you before but, a lot of us still find it hard to talk about the princess, she was gone too soon." Dorado apologizes again for running over Baz before he speeds away positive he can pilot Rutah now. "If the King would have given me all of it instead of scrubbing any personal information out of it I could have solved this months ago." Weaving his way down the empty steps Dorado exits the depleted town absent of stone masons who are in Dragon's Rest, and the various Tarrey town migrants the zora home is deserted. At veiled falls he sees a familiar red build, today Sidon is wearing his Champion tunic looking dashing. Eager to share his progress Dorado yells " I feel her, she hears me I did it! There is an answering below from Rutah and both feel a sensation. This newfound succsess is why Dorado is with the Divine beast he had felt Dorado's connection.
It is hard to define the connection to Rutah the emotions are arrayed on a spectrum there is the sheer contentment radiating from the beast, tinged with loss and regret. A kindness emanates fro the beast like a breaker wave, washing the zora in an urge to do good. Here the perception diverges Sidon feels defensive of his father sister and Karlovaa, dissimilarly Dorado feels responsible for the safety of Sidon, Reypha, his parents and Tarrey town. Out of this kalediscope are two buried impressions felt by neither Sidon nor his apprentice these are the loves of the first pilot of Rutah and Mipha for this mixture of thoughts is primarily love.
Dorado is numb this outpouring from the ancient being is overwhelming him enveloping his very soul, "Dorado, harness it ask her from that place but do not stay there, she has a darkness failure to protect mars her so deeply. It can drown you in grief avoid that side of her. Ask her to raise a trunk do it now!" Breaking the trance his eyes open, and slowly he makes his request trembling with the effort the young one sees the trunk drift skyward! Sidon enters the beast returning without his cloak, now attired in a simple rope harness "I no longer need that I am simply a Prince not a Prince and the champion." It took a month for Dorado to master his bond with Rutah. Now he can control the beast with a mere loving request. Sidon visits with Karlovaa frequently these are carefree refreshing visits for both untill Sidon begins to feel guilty he needs to explain his frequent absences to his dear father, observing this change in mood Karlovaa proposes she meets Doraphan. Sidon agrees with a newfound resolve, to speak to his father before he meets Karlovaa.
Authors note 2 next week we check in with Zelda and her family briefly, Sidon and Karlovaa meet with the Zora King after Sidon attempts to teach her a valuable skill. Sincerely 4Coyote