"That's your plan?" Revali hissed when Barta had finished explaining her idea. "You want to use bananas to distract them. That's just –"

"Asinine," Barta finished, "you mentioned that already."

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried that you don't understand how ridiculous you sound."

"What happened to 'you know this place better than I do?'"

"That was before your brilliant plan hinged on bananas!"

"Do you have any idea how I snatched that pouch of yours from them?" she asked with a pointed look.

"There's no way…"

"I threw a banana that I had stowed away. They were tripping over each other just to get to it."

Revali narrowed his eyes, looking for the slightest indication that she was pulling his leg, but he found none. He wasn't sure how long she had been imprisoned, but he suspected that it had been long enough for her to start losing her grip on reality.

"So," he started as he began rubbing his eyes with his fingertips, "your grand plan is to wait for another… shipment, during which we will steal bananas, which we will then use… to escape," the Rito Champion finished. "Does that about cover it?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

"This is ridiculous," he sighed as he sat back ungracefully.

"Oh, you're a pouter?"

"Don't start," he grumbled. He had quickly grown tired of her teasing nature. It reminded him of the way Urbosa talked to him, which annoyed him for some reason that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

"You're no fun, you know that?"

He glared at the Gerudo woman again, but she only returned it with a grin. With nothing more to say, he turned his attention back to the Hylian Champion. Link's face was twisted into an unpleasant grimace as his eyes moved restlessly beneath their lids. He hated to admit, even to himself, but seeing Link in such a state was unnerving. The Hylian had often seemed too stubborn to be kept down by injuries.

The fact that there weren't any improvements in Link's condition, outside of his face losing some of it's flush, further disturbed the Rito Champion. He had given Link at least three healing potions, and still, his condition continued to steadily degrade.

He pushed his thoughts away with a huff. It wasn't going to do anyone any good to sit and mope.

"Do you have any stamina potions?" Barta asked.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he sighed as he turned back to find her glancing down the hall.

"Just answer the –"

"Yes."

"Give him one," Barta commanded as she kept watch for any unwelcome visitors.

"How will that help?"

"I'm not sure," she answered, not tearing her gaze away. "It was just a trick I learned while training with the Guard."

Revali bit back a retort. While he questioned Barta's sanity, he couldn't deny that she had already proven herself by saving most of their supplies. He supposed it couldn't hurt anything to try it. He had no training in medicine, but he couldn't come up with any reason that the potion could do any more damage.

He dug the pouch out as Barta kept watch and dug around, finally pulling out the green potion. He dumped the contents of the bottle down Link's throat. Even with two health potions and more stamina potions, he knew he still needed to get the Hylian to Mipha quickly. He didn't know how long he had left, or if getting him to her sooner would increase the likelihood of a full recovery. At the very least, it increased his odds of survival.

"He must be a close friend," the Gerudo commented.

"No," Revali replied tightly. He wasn't in the mood to listen as someone else tried to piece together his relationships. "He's a rival and I can't surpass him if he's dead."

"So, a best friend then?"

"Were you listening to a word I just said?"

"Yep. You sound like one of those people who doesn't want everyone to know that you care."

"I am not," he sniffed.

"That's what they all say."

"I am not- "

"Then why spend so much time worrying over him?"

"Like I said, he's a rival."

"Oh, I believe that, but most people don't worry by their rival's bedside."

Revali glared at her before stalking to the other side of the room.

"Sensitive, are we?"

"Will you be quiet!?" he snapped.

"Oh, but you're so much fun," she replied. "I've been so bored these past few…" she trailed off as she tried to remember how long she had been imprisoned.

As annoyed as he was with her, he had to admit that it was good that she was there. If he had it his way, he would have used the bomb rune on the Slate to blast his way out of the cell. Considering the noise that would have generated, it was unlikely he would have lasted long. In fact, he likely wouldn't have had any supplies to begin with.

"So, how did you get captured?" he finally asked as he folded his wings.

"… I don't want to talk about it," she muttered.

Revali narrowed his eyes as a smirk stretched across his face. "Feeling sensitive, are we?"

"Oh, I hate you."

His smirk didn't falter. He had spent enough time around the Gerudo Champion to know when he was broaching something of a sore subject. He considered pressing further; however, he also didn't like the idea of alienating her, so he let it go.

He tried to occupy himself with various thoughts, but eventually, he gave into his restlessness and began pacing back and forth across the small cell.

"You don't do well with waiting."

"No," he grumbled.

"Well, luckily for you, they bring in… shipments often."

"Fantastic," he replied caustically. It didn't matter how often they brought in their favorite delicacy because they weren't currently doing so. He hated sitting around and waiting when there were other things that needed to be done.

"Well, if all else fails, my sisters should be here soon."

"What?" he asked as he stopped and rounded on her.

"I was sent ahead to scout out possible hideouts," she replied as though that were the most obvious thing. Unfortunately for her, there were several things that weren't explained.

"Why?"

"They stole a relic from the chieftain, one that we need for the Divine Beast, I'm assuming you know –"

"Yes," he interrupted impatiently.

"Right. Well, we need to recover the relic to help us drive away the Divine Beast."

"And how do they know where we are?"

"They don't know exactly," Barta sighed. "Teake, our Captain, sectioned off potential locations. It's only a matter of time before they come looking themselves."

"Good," Revali muttered. He didn't like the idea of being rescued, but he found that to be a much more likely outcome than relying on bananas. "When should they be here?"

"Uh… I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I'm… really bad with directions," answered defensively.

Revali walked to the nearest wall and banged his head into it, exacerbating his headache. If she was terrible with directions, there was a good chance she hadn't even made it to the area she was supposed to search, meaning her fellow guards wouldn't even be searching the right area.

The Rito Champion made a vow that if he made it out of the ridiculous situation he found himself in, he would never complain about Urbosa again.

"Sav'saaba!" Medli greeted excitedly as she and Urbosa approached the guards that stood at the gates of Gerudo Town. Despite the stressors she had been grappling with over the past day, a part of her was thrilled that she was finally getting to use the Gerudo's traditional evening greeting.

The broken language had been the first one that she had studied, and she found it fascinating. It had once been a full-fledged language with its own rules and syntax, which had grown more complex after they had been exiled from Hyrule thousands of years before her time. When they came back, the general populace had taken great pains to relearn the language that was generally spoken in the kingdom. It was a sign of respect, as well as a product of their reliance on the men of other races seeing as men were rarely born to the Gerudo.

As a result of their insistence on learning the language, their traditional language began to fade away until it had all but been forgotten. The thing that fascinated her about it was that bits and pieces of the language had been so ingrained into the culture that they survived. Even more interesting, the Gerudo had then combined the Hyrulean language with the surviving fragments of their own, making a dialect that was unique to them.

The two guardswomen responded, sharing a surprised look between them. "Strange that a Rito vai knows which greeting to use," one murmured quietly.

"Oh yes. I know that it's considered a sign of respect to learn the language of the land you're visiting," Medli explained as she placed her fingertips together.

She watched, utterly lost as the two guards exchanged another glance. One started to grin mischievously; however, her partner shook her head with a small frown. The former shrugged before turning back to address them.

"Your hood. Pull it back." To Medli's surprise, Urbosa obliged with no argument, pulling her hood back to show her face. "Welcome home, sister," the guard stated simply as they both moved aside, allowing the two access to the town.

The Rito girl passed through the gate, looking around in wonder as she finally laid eyes on Gerudo Town. Despite how late it was, women were out wandering through the various shops that lined the main road. A few of the shops were little more than wares splayed out on a blanket under a tent, while some were housed inside of buildings.

Those that perused the goods being sold didn't belong solely to the Gerudo. There were Hylian and Rito women thrown into the mix as well. Medli looked more closely as she thought she recognized a few faces; however, she moved on quickly when she found that none of them were people she cared to talk to.

As much as the Rito girl wanted to explore the Town further, she knew that they were there for a reason. As a result, she and Urbosa made their way towards the building that towered over every other building.

Though the Gerudo Champion was ordinarily approachable, Medli found that something about the woman was closed off as they walked across the stone and sand covered roads. She couldn't really blame Urbosa, all things considered. The woman had confided in her that she still lacked the majority of her memories. Aside from a few memories, all she could recall were a series of jumbled images that bled together nonsensically.

Urbosa paused as they reached the bottom of the stairs that led up to the small palace. "I think I should go alone."

Medli wasn't sure what to say. On the one hand, she knew that Daruk wouldn't approve of them splitting up and even though he wouldn't find out, she didn't like the idea of doing anything to disappoint him. On the other, she was well aware that there were many things going on that she was not aware of. "Okay… I'll go… look around."

The Rito girl continued observing the woman for a few more seconds before turning awkwardly and making her way back through the town's center. Though she found many trinkets that interested her, they could only distract her for so long. Eventually, her thoughts turned back to Link, Revali, Mipha, and now Urbosa as well.

As was typical when she was lost in thought, her feet took advantage of her occupied mind and began to guide her according to their own whims.

It worried her that Urbosa was being as distant as she was. As far as she could tell, the Gerudo Champion was what kept everyone together. While Daruk managed to function as their leader by constantly reminding them of their goals and trying to keep them on track, she was busy being the glue that bound them together.

Medli knew that Urbosa didn't listen to much of what she said, but when it was something important, then she listened. It was interesting how often the Gerudo Champion heard far more than what was said. Even with Master Revali who, as she was beginning to find out, rarely said what he really meant, Urbosa still managed to understand. Without the kind of empathetic leadership Urbosa provided, there was a good chance that the rest of the group would fracture, maybe irreparably.

She had only been with them a few short weeks, but the thought still made her sad.

When she came back to her senses, she found herself down a dark alley. She looked around, trying to remember where she was and how she had gotten there. Unfortunately, nothing struck her as familiar, so she started walking, hoping to find some sort of landmark to regain her bearings.

Eventually, as she continued her search for the main road, she did find something familiar, but it wasn't a landmark. Instead, she found an aging Gerudo woman sitting next to a statue of the Goddess. Like the rest of her race, she had fiery red hair and tan skin that was just starting to wrinkle. What concerned her wasn't the woman, but rather what she was holding.

In her lap was the Master Sword and the Hylian Shield.

Medli stood frozen, not sure that she believed what she was seeing.

"If you think I look good now, you should have seen me in my youth. I was a sight to behold," the woman stated without even opening her eyes.

The Rito girl continued to stand, staring at her blankly. She couldn't decide if she should be afraid or excited that she might finally have a clue to her missing friends.

"You know, you don't exactly strike me as the quiet type," the woman murmured as she finally opened her eyes, "not with the way you were muttering as you walked down here."

"I'm just- I don't know how to- how did you-"

The woman watched, chuckling as Medli continued spewing words that couldn't form a coherent sentence. "That sounds more like what I was hearing. So, which question do you want answered?"

"…Where did you get those?" Medli finally asked as she gestured to the items.

"A friend gave them to me," she replied. She leaned forward and patted the ground next to her. "Sit."

The Rito sat down apprehensively. As she did so, the woman handed the weapons over. The Rito stared dumbfounded at the proffered items for a moment. She hadn't had to explain that they belonged to her missing friends and still, the woman handed them over. "Muava," she said.

Medli wracked her brain, trying to search for the meaning of the cryptic word, but she couldn't find any. She couldn't help but think it was a part of some saying used when exchanging gifts. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what that means."

"That's because it's a name, little vai," she chuckled.

"Oh… Oh!" she exclaimed, feeling flustered now. "Medli!"

"Medli? That's –"

"Did your friend happen to tell you where she got these?" Medli blurted out. It wasn't that she didn't want to hear what Muava thought of her name, she was just far too flustered by her blunder and worried about her friends to devote much thought to anything else.

"No. She just asked me to hold on to them until a friend of their owner's arrived."

"She didn't say anything about who they belonged to? Whether he and his friend were okay?"

"All She said was that the wielder wasn't able to keep them safe."

Medli felt her stomach drop at the news. She knew, both from Mipha's stories and a few displays she had seen, that Link was as stubborn as he was strong. If he couldn't keep the Master Sword safe, then he was in bad shape. That was if she could assume that anything that Muava was saying was true. "Who gave these to you?"

"She did," Muava replied as she motioned towards the statue of Hylia next to her.

Medli cocked her head as she began to question Muava's sanity.

"Normally, I follow that up by pretending to have a conversation with the statue, but I don't think you would appreciate that right now."

"So, who really gave them to you?" Medli asked. She wasn't prone to aggravation, but Muava was pressing buttons she didn't know she had.

"I wasn't joking when I said Hylia gave them to me."

Medli stared at her, not entirely sure how to respond to what she was hearing. It wasn't that she didn't believe in the Goddess. Rather, she found it difficult to believe that She would intervene on anyone's behalf.

"What?"

"I guess I just didn't expect… Her… to be involved."

"And why is that?" Muava asked.

"After everything that's happened, I just thought that maybe she didn't care."

"Everything that's happened?"

"The Great Calamity. The Blood Moons. That sort of thing," Medli clarified.

Muava leaned back, staring up at the moon thoughtfully. "Tell me, do you like being able to be you?"

"What?"

"Do you like the fact that when you wake up, you can choose what you can do that day? Where you go, what you eat, and who you speak to?"

"Oh, yes!" Medli replied excitedly. The fact that she could make her own choices was something she valued greatly.

"And how would you like it if someone else made all of your choices for you?"

"… I wouldn't," she replied after some thought. While it might make some aspects of life easier, there was a good chance that she wouldn't be able to do the things she loved.

"Neither would I," Muava replied. "It's a wonderful thing, being able to choose who I am, but that freedom has a price."

Medli gaze fell towards the ground. She had a feeling she knew what the woman was about to say.

"It means that everyone has that same freedom…"

"… Which means that bad things will happen," Medli finished.

"Indeed."

"So, if She gets involved, we can't be us, but staying out of it means that terrible things happen," Medli summarized.

"I am really glad that you aren't the Goddess," Muava chuckled.

"Huh?"

"Hylia is nothing if not creative," Muava said as though the comment were enough to explain what she meant. "She finds a multitude of ways to guide people who are willing to listen."

"But then, why the Calamity?"

"I asked her the same thing," Muava stated. "Would you like to guess what she said?"

The Rito girl remained silent. She had devoted thought as to all of the things that could have gone wrong, yet there were too many things that she didn't know. It was impossible for her to come to any consensus.

"She asked me if I had ever tried to guide a child even as they dragged their feet. If that same child demanded answers but then shouted over me as I tried to answer."

"Is that why the Princess wasn't able to access her sealing powers in time?"

"I guess so," Muava answered. "She was being vague about the whole thing, so I imagine that it wasn't just the Princess that was refusing to accept help. More than likely, there were a number of people who were being impatient or didn't like the solutions she offered."

Medli looked down at the sword and shield she held. While she had received some answers, they led to more questions, none of which she had time to look into. Not only that, but the conversation had only distracted her from her worries for a short time.

"If it helps at all, I believe your friends will be all right," Muava said as she got to her feet.

"You do?"

"I do," she replied simply. "Now stand up and let me help you with those."

Medli obliged, trying not to squawk as the Gerudo secured the sword and shield to her back. The belts were tightened far too much in her opinion, but she had a feeling that was done intentionally.

"Thank you," she murmured as Muava finished.

"You're welcome. Be well, little vai."

"Umm…" Medli began uncomfortably as Muava sat back down. "How do I get back to the main road?"

Muava's entire body shook as she laughed.

Urbosa eyed the Hylian Princess as they reentered Gerudo Town. Zelda had fallen into a familiar, self-pitying silence after the Gerudo Chieftain had mentioned her mother. Immediately before that, the two women had been attacked by the Yiga but even the memory of that attack was not enough to drag Zelda out of her mournful reverie.

Suddenly, Zelda stopped as her face fell towards the ground. "I can't help but wonder if –"

"That's enough," Urbosa said, taking on her infamous lecturing tone as she turned the Hylian towards herself and set both hands on her shoulders. The Gerudo had heard these lamentations so many times that she knew them by heart. Zelda couldn't help but wonder if her mother could have helped her unlock her powers, couldn't help but wonder if she would have understood all of the things her father didn't, and a plethora of other silent "what ifs" that plagued her thoughts. Worst of all, she couldn't help but wonder how disappointed her mother was as she gazed on from the next life. "There is something that you should know about your mother."

"She loved me?" Zelda asked bitterly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Urbosa replied as a small l frown played across her face.

"…"

"I was standing next to your mother, holding her hand as you came into this world."

Zelda nodded as she heard this as it was something she had heard many times before.

"You should have seen her face when she first saw you," Urbosa murmured wistfully. Thinking back to that time made her as sad as it did happy. It was the most profound memory she had of the late Queen of Hyrule, perfectly encapsulating who she was; however, it was also a painful reminder to Urbosa of a reality that could never quite be hers. "I never saw her face light up quite like that."

"Not even on her wedding day," Zelda finished quietly. She had heard that part as well.

"Indeed, but do you know what her first words when she saw you were?"

"No."

"She called you her little bird. Do you know why?"

Zelda looked up at her, an unasked question in her eyes as she shook her head slowly.

"She hoped that no matter what challenges you faced, you would always be able to soar free, like a bird."

The Princess' face fell again as tears began gathering in her eyes. While Urbosa had told her many things about her mother, it was the first time that she had told the girl about her nickname. Urbosa had been conflicted when she took the name and made it her own. It had felt like she was encroaching on her closest friend's territory, but that had quickly ended when she had seen just how badly Zelda needed some sort of mother figure.

"There's one more thing you should know," she continued as she lifted Zelda's face so that they were staring eye to eye. "She is more proud of you than you will ever know."

Urbosa shook her head, dispelling the memory as she stared up the steps. She could see the guards above her staring at her quizzically, hands on their weapons as they watched for any sign of malicious intent. She removed her hood and began walking up the stairs before they had any more reason to suspect her.

They continued eyeing her as she approached, but they made no move to stop her as she stepped past them and into the building.

Though she hadn't known what to expect when she presented herself before the chief, she hadn't been expecting a child. Yet, seated before her was a girl who couldn't have been any older than twelve or thirteen. Apparently, the young Chief wasn't expecting to see her either. She sat frozen in a reclined position, holding up her head with a single hand as she stared at the Gerudo Champion with wide eyes.

"State your name and your business," the guard beside her commanded, punctuating her statement by setting her Claymore on the ground. She was tall and toned, even by Gerudo standards. Urbosa would almost be jealous of her intimidating figure except that it was unlikely that the guard was able to summon lightning.

"I am Urbosa, and I come seeking the aid of our chieftain," she replied boldly. To her amusement, the girl's expression was unable to widen any further. That amusement was tempered by her interest in the guard by the girl's side. The Gerudo Champion was unable to gauge the woman's thoughts on the matter.

"Even if you are –"

"Buliara! Do not speak to our chieftain so!"

"Lady Riju," Buliara responded, maintaining an impassive tone as she addressed the Chieftain, "I do not mean offense. I know as well as you that her claim is true, but she is no longer our Chief."

"But –"

"You should listen to her," Urbosa interrupted, earning her a sharp look from Buliara. "It does not matter who I used to be. You are Chief now."

"I'll ask you to remember proper courtesy, Urbosa." Despite her words, Urbosa was under the impression that Buliara secretly approved of what she had said. Her words were more a formality than anything else.

"Forgive Buliara," Riju said, still shaken by the events of the past few minutes, "she can be quite overbearing."

"I'm sorry that not all of my duties are to your liking," the guard muttered just loud enough for Urbosa to hear.

The Gerudo Champion's eyes flicked back and forth between the two, finding humor in how much the two reminded her of Zelda and herself. She chuckled quietly, finding a strange sense of relief in the act. The past day had been difficult as she juggled her duties with her concerns for her friends. It was nice to unwind, even if it was just for a moment.

"Lady Urbosa –" the Champion returned her gaze to the young Chief who had managed to regain her composure "- Lady Impa has explained your situation to us."

Urbosa frowned at the news. As far as she knew, Impa had advised them to lay as low as they could. Ironically, Revali was the only that had succeeded, with only a few members of the Rito Tribe knowing who he really was. She couldn't figure out what had changed.

Riju apparently understood this as she was quick to explain, "apparently, she received a sternly worded letter after King Dorephan reunited with his daughter." The girl cracked a small smile before dropping it to continue, "she also asked that we devote some of our warriors to help you retake Hyrule Castle."

"What?"

Buliara opened her mouth to remind the Champion to respect her Chief; however, Riju cut her off.

"Impa believes that we have the best chance of success if the all the tribes of Hyrule were to gather under one banner. I agreed and sent the best of our guard to aid in the preparations, which was a mistake," she sighed.

"What happened was not your fault," Buliara admonished. The guard then turned to address Urbosa directly, "due to our decreased number, the Yiga managed to infiltrate the Palace. After they broke in, they stole the Thunder Helm and fled like the pitiful cravens they are," she spat.

"Do you remember the Thunder Helm?" Riju asked.

Urbosa shook her head.

"I see." The young Chief bit her lip in thought as she silently debated something in her mind. "I will spare you its long history then. What is important is that without it, we stand no chance of calming Naboris. As it stands, we must devote what little forces we have to infiltrating the Yiga base and retrieving the helm."

Urbosa hooked her finger on her chin as she tilted her head in thought. "If I were to help you reclaim the Helm, would you help me with something?"

"We are ready to dedicate as many resources as we can to helping you reclaim Naboris," the Chief replied.

"Thank you, but I have a more pressing concern. Yesterday, the Hylian and the Rito Champion went missing."

"What?!" Riju asked as she leaned forward, temporarily forgetting decorum. "We must find them immediately! Buliara –"

"If I may," the guard cut in bluntly, "I am not sure that we can afford to divide our forces to look for them right now."

"She's right," Urbosa interjected before Riju could respond. "Nobody is more upset than I, but now isn't the time to make rash decisions. If we reclaim the Thunder Helm, then I can handle Naboris while your guards search for them."

The three fell silent as Riju took a few deep breaths and regained control of herself. "Where were you when they disappeared?"

"We were near the entrance of the pass into the Highlands."

Buliara and Riju exchanged a meaningful glance before the Chief returned her attention to the Champion. "After the Thunder Helm was stolen, we sent various members of the Guard to search the Highlands. The only one who didn't return was sent to investigate a section North of here." The Chief fell silent as she closed her eyes, her face twisting in concentration. "Urbosa," she said as her eyes snapped open, "you will accompany the Guard when they attack the Yiga, but your main goal is to find the two missing Champions…"

Urbosa hid a frown as Riju trailed off. She was under the impression that the Chief knew full well how to finish the command, but she was again becoming swept up in the situation. For better or worse, her legacy was larger than life, and she doubted Riju had ever had to issue a command to someone with such a reputation.

While the girl had the potential to be a great chieftain, there were still a few things she needed to work on.

"Captain Teake will be able to fill you in on all of the finer details," Buliara finished. "I will escort you to the Barracks."

Urbosa made no complaints as Riju's guard found a replacement. She had a feeling there was something the woman wanted to discuss with her.

After Buliara was certain that the Chief would be well guarded during her brief absence, she led Urbosa down a side hallway. The two trailed in silence for a minute before Buliara finally spoke. "May I ask what it is you intend to do when your fight is over?"

Urbosa could have listed the number of possibilities that had crossed her mind, but she knew there was only one thing her guide wanted to hear. "I have no intention of challenging Riju."

Buliara gave an approving nod. "Recent times have proved her own inexperience to her in the worst possible ways. She is already questioning whether or not she is suited to the task of leading us. She also holds you in the highest esteem. If you were to say the wrong thing…"

The Champion didn't need Buliara to finish the statement. If she didn't choose her words wisely, she may inadvertently cause the Chieftain to lose what little confidence she had left. No matter what happened, as a result, the consequences would be disastrous.

"Perhaps I should speak with her after we're finished cleaning up this mess," Urbosa mused quietly.

"Perhaps."

The two women continued towards the Barracks in silence as each was lost in their own thoughts.

A/N: So, I just realized that I forgot to say something important. I may be taking a brief hiatus so I can focus on school and hopefully refind my motivation.

Guest Reviews:

Nightbreed1: Did you just call me the mighty EbonySum? Way to feed my ego bro. Answers to questions 1.) It's possible, though I imagine there has been enough generations to make the pairing acceptable socially. 2.) I have taken time to think about who else I want to see in Smash, but I can't think of one.

EnjoyingTheStory: I'm glad that you're enjoying it for the most part. I am worried that you are completely missing the point of Hylia.

Chris: Yep. My references are so subtle that you'd miss them if you aren't watching like a... Rito.

Guest: You better believe that Kid Icarus reference was there. Honestly, it's no more abnormal than the asinine number of other references I've put in.