Urbosa thought she knew what it was to fly after using her paraglider for the first time; however, that experience paled in comparison to watching the Desert race past her as she clung to Farosh's head. To see the ground so far below her, traveling at a dizzying speed as she drew no closer to it was something that no other experience could compare to. Had she had a weaker constitution, it would have been enough to make her nauseous. Thankfully, she wasn't prone to such things.
She was starting to understand why Revali loved it so much. It was an exhilarating experience that she doubted she would ever get again. Her only real complaint was that it was in the middle of the night, making it difficult for her to grasp the majesty of the land below. Thankfully, Farosh's movements had been gentle enough to allow her to secure the Thunder Helm to her back, allowing her to hold on properly as she looked down at homeland below. She had always known the Desert was vast, but it was much larger than she had given it credit for. It was truly a shame that it was so dark.
Still, it was an incredible experience and she was almost sad to have it end as they reached Kara Kara Bazaar.
Farosh lowered his head to the ground, letting Urbosa off next to the oasis. "Thanks," she said as she climbed down the side of his head.
"Urbosa!"
The Gerudo Champion straightened out her clothes as she turned to find Daruk and Revali rushing toward her.
"Hey, Big guy, no need to wake everyone up."
"What happened?" Revali asked impatiently.
"Let's worry about it later," she replied. She had no doubt that Revali had informed Daruk about the state of things when he had left. While Urbosa knew only one would willingly admit it, it was clear that both had been worried about her. "Did Medli make it back?"
"Barely," Daruk sighed. "She passed out not long after." That was a relief to hear. She hadn't been sure
"Link and Mipha?"
"Over there," Daruk replied as he gestured towards a spot a few yards off.
Despite the luster of her scales, the Gerudo Champion had trouble making the Zora Champion out in the darkness that blanketed them. "I'll be right back." Moving quickly over one of the few grassy expanses in the Desert, Urbosa was soon kneeling next to Mipha. "How is he?"
Mipha didn't respond as she continued tending to Link.
"Mipha," she called gently as she set a hand on the Zora's shoulder. She grimaced as she felt just how frigid the girl's scales were.
"Hmm?" the Zora responded absently.
"How is he?"
"His wounds are bad," she murmured quietly. "If he had gotten here much later, I'm not sure he would have made it."
"And, how are you?"
"I… I don't know."
Considering how out of it she had been for the past few days, it wasn't surprising to hear.
Shadows fell over them as Daruk and Revali joined them. Even Farosh had followed, hanging over the group of heroes.
The green Dragon stared down at them for a moment before bending down and exhaling on them as his predecessors had. Urbosa felt the familiar rush of power coursing through her as the warm air rolled over them.
Farosh leaned back when he was finished and studied them. Eventually, he leaned down so that he could look Urbosa in the eye. Urbosa wished Medli was there as she returned Farosh's steady gaze. Whatever moment she and the Dragon were supposed to be having was lost on her, and she doubted there was any way for Farosh to adequately communicate what he was thinking without a translator.
Seeing that she couldn't understand, the Dragon leaned back and gave them all one last glance before bidding farewell with a nod. Silently, Farosh rose through the air and began his trek back to whatever place he had made his den.
Urbosa watched, wondering why the sight felt so nostalgic, as though she had witnessed this same scene somewhere before. As much as she wished she could watch him until he disappeared over the horizon, there were several things that needed tending to.
"Hey, Big Guy?"
"Yeah?"
"Why exactly did you let these two stay out here?" she harped as she gestured to the Hylian and Zora Champions.
"Uh…" Daruk trailed off. She stared at him expectantly, even as he was left unable to come up with a response.
"Do you want to explain?" she finally asked as she turned to Revali.
"Don't look at me! It's not my fault that-"
"So, you expect her to carry him in on her own?" Mipha was far from weak but considering the state she had been in the last few weeks, and how ill-looking she'd been earlier, it was a bit much to expect her to move someone larger and heavier than herself to the inn. It honestly amazed her that neither Revali or Daruk had thought to make sure to get the two inside.
"Really, Urbosa, I am all right. The cold may also help to bring his –"
"Excuse me! I carried his sorry –"
"I guess I just didn't think of it," Daruk replied as he scratched his head.
"Even if we had thought of it, how exactly do you propose we convinced her to move?" Revali asked haughtily.
Urbosa sighed as she rubbed her temple. They had all been together this long and they still hadn't figured it out. "This is how you do it," she answered as she leaned down and picked Link up.
"Wait!" Mipha protested after she had overcome her shock. Her protests fell on deaf ears as Urbosa marched toward the inn. As the Gerudo Champion expected, Mipha was not far behind her. "Please wait! I've only just begun to heal his injuries and –"
"And you can continue once he's laying on a proper bed," Urbosa interrupted. "Revali!" she called over her shoulder. "You come as well!"
"I think I'll –"
The Gerudo Champion didn't even wait for Revali to finish before she marched over and took hold of his wing. "If you won't go yourself, then I'll drag you," she growled, holding his wing in a vice-like grip as he tried to pull away. Without any further ado, she started her short trek, carrying a Hylian and dragging a Rito across the Bazaar. They all looked exhausted, and she was going to make sure they got rest, even if they didn't appreciate her efforts.
Despite her determination, there were a few moments in which she considered tying Revali's head in a knot.
In the end, she managed to find rooms for everyone. Of course, it required a lot of compromises. She had intended to stick Link and Revali in the same room and have Mipha stay with Medli. Unfortunately, the Zora Princess refused to leave Link's side, much less get much-needed rest. It wasn't until Urbosa shuffled around the arrangements and had a lengthy conversation with Mipha that she finally decided to lay down. Of course, that meant that Revali would be getting the third room, leaving the Gerudo Champion to bunk with Medli, a prospect she wasn't thrilled with. Medli was enjoyable enough, but she had a habit of talking as incessantly in her sleep as she did while awake. Of course, by the time she had gotten Mipha settled in and suitably threatened the Rito Champion, such matters were the last thing on her mind.
The Gerudo Champion wondered if Medli was as exhausted as the rest of them as she didn't hear a single peep from the Rito girl for what remained of the night.
Revali groaned as he felt small hands poking and prodding him. He didn't know what time of the day it was, only that he wasn't in the mood to deal with it. He grit his beak, eyes snapping open as he sat up quickly. "Will you…" He trailed off, surprised to find Mipha eyeing him a bemused expression. "What are you doing here?!" He couldn't figure out why she would be healing him when Link likely still needed help.
"You're injured," she replied as she resumed her work, ignoring Revali's attempts to shake her off.
"And Link?" he asked skeptically.
"I took care of the worst of it," she answered tiredly. "He still needs a lot of healing, but it is not anything life threatening, so I thought I would check on you."
He stared at her for a moment, trying to make sure he had heard correctly. It seemed, to him anyway, that Link always came first to her, and that was before whatever had happened to her in the Lost Woods. As a result, he hadn't been expecting her to be at all concerned about him until after Link had been fully healed. "I see."
There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before Mipha spoke again. "I thought you might like to know that Medli is okay."
"Good…" he muttered. He was relieved to hear it, even though he hadn't been worried about her. He had left her with three of the most capable warriors in Hyrule after all. Even if Mipha had been out of it the entire time, he was sure that Urbosa and Daruk could have handled it. "How are you?" He wasn't really sure why, but he felt compelled to ask.
"I… I'm not sure," she replied quietly. An awkward silence fell between the two as the Zora Champion continued her working.
It wasn't until that moment that Revali realized just how little he actually knew about Mipha. They had fought side by side both before and after the Calamity, yet he couldn't say he knew much of anything about her. He supposed that, by and large, he hadn't really cared at the time. He had come to associate her with Link and so had come to avoid her. It wasn't until he had seen the state that she had been in the night before that he had seen something in her that he could almost understand.
That didn't mean he knew what to say. In fact, he felt like he may have had a better idea what to say before that had happened.
"I wanted to say thank you for… talking me through last night."
He stared up at the ceiling for a few moments, searching for some sort of response. "Well," he responded, trying his best to sound casual, "it's not like anyone else was going to do it."
"This is true."
He could feel Mipha's eyes on him, sizing him up. It was more disconcerting than when Urbosa eyed him in the same fashion, though he couldn't quite decide why. Eventually, the moment became far too awkward for him to bear any longer. "Out with it."
"There is something I have been meaning to ask you," she said, adopting an oddly diplomatic tone.
"I already said out with it," he sighed, knowing there were very few ways he could get out of the situation he found himself in. The last time a conversation had started like this, she had hounded him until Urbosa had interrupted and sent Mipha away. He might have considered getting up and leaving; however, he had seen just how adamant she could be when it came to healing her companions. If it came to it, he was certain she would have no compunction about holding him down. To make matters worse, he had seen firsthand that despite her small frame, she was quite strong. Added to the fact that he was laying down while she was upright meant that even if he did have the advantage in strength – something he wasn't really certain of, to begin with – he would still be at a disadvantage.
So, he readied himself for an unpleasant conversation.
"Why do you enjoy spending time with Medli?"
A deafening silence fell over the room for several endless seconds as Revali tried to process the question. "Why do you care?" he asked, his mouth drying out faster than he would have thought possible. As an afterthought, he narrowed his eyes, trying to hide just how uncomfortable he felt.
"Well, I was thinking that the only thing I really know about you is that you don't like talking about yourself." He wasn't sure why she sounded sad about that, nor did he know why that made him even more uncomfortable. "I thought that maybe if I knew why you enjoy Medli's company, maybe I could learn something about you."
He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling. He decided that, since he wasn't required to answer the question, he wouldn't.
Silence reigned between the two for several minutes before Mipha finally spoke again. "While we were in Zora's Domain, I… proposed to Link." Revali gaped at her, forgetting everything that had proceeded the comment for a moment. "He rejected it."
He wasn't sure what to make of it. On one hand, she sounded nowhere near devastated. At most, he would have called the tone in her voice mild sadness. Granted, that had been some time ago, but considering how close they still were, it was a surprise that she wasn't bent out of shape about it. On the other hand, it certainly explained why she and Link had been in such poor moods after it happened. He couldn't find any reason to deny it. All of that aside, he still had no idea how to respond, and so said the first thing that came to his mind, "what makes you think I care?"
He looked away, not wanting to see her reaction. Years of responding coldly had formed hard to break habits. He wasn't even sure if he really wanted to break those habits. While he was glad that Link was going to be okay, he found himself wishing that he had found another way to talk Mipha through her episode. Saying what he had made him vulnerable, and he wasn't quite ready for that. As little as he liked it, both Daruk and Urbosa had seen the chinks in his wall, but they knew when to stop pushing… most of the time. Mipha, however, didn't know when to stop.
Still, a part of him admitted that it would be rude to not give her anything. She had been asking a personal question but had provided something personal in return. He wasn't really required to "return the favor" but, he couldn't deny the idea of not saying anything didn't sit very well with him.
The Zora Princess said nothing in response. Both didn't make eye contact as the Zora Champion finally finished her task and stood up and left his side. As she was about to open the door, he made a split-second decision. "When was the last time you had to wonder what was going through her head?"
Mipha stopped and looked at him, amber eyes meeting emerald. He could see that she understood that was all she was going to get from him and she accepted that. "I am going to lay down for awhile. In the meantime, don't overextend yourself. I'll come and check on you in a bit."
Revali sighed as she finally left, slumping back down for a few minutes. Deciding that he had spent enough time lazing around, he hauled himself up, feeling exhausted despite only just waking up.
Link sat on the bank of the oasis, letting his legs hang in the water as he stared out over the Desert. When he had awoken, he had been surprised to find that he was lying in a room in an inn. That being said, he didn't spend much time on the question of how he had gotten there as his mind was immediately drawn to the memories of a dream he'd had just before waking. Unfortunately, staring at the ceiling above him garnered no answers. In fact, it felt oddly constrictive, making him feel the need to get up and find another spot to rest.
As he took to his feet – feeling a painful heat along his right arm and side - he noticed Mipha sleeping in the bed next to his. Between the burns that covered his arm and side, and the knowledge that she would be upset if he left before she had finished with him, he considered waiting for her to wake up and heal him; However, he found that his need for fresh air was the more pressing issue. Besides, he could always return before she woke up.
Before he left his room, he heard Medli and Revali walking past his door, with the former excitedly telling the Rito Champion about one of her most recent exploits. Link was relieved to hear that Revali was alive and well. He even managed to crack a smile as his comrade congratulated her on a job well done and made an offer to help her develop her flying abilities further. He considered interrupting the duo to ask about what had happened with Farosh, but he thought better of it. He had enough on his mind as it was.
With his ragged tunic on, he left both his room and the inn behind as he walked into the late evening air. Almost immediately, he saw the oasis and decided that he might find enough peace there to think. The serene waters reminded him of his days living in Zora's Domain, which were fond memories to be sure.
On his way toward the pool of water, he saw Daruk and Urbosa, who stopped talking to give him quiet acknowledgment before resuming their conversation. He didn't stop to check in with them. They knew he was well enough, and he could see that they were in a decent enough state to clearly be having an argument about something.
So, he had sat and considered the dream. The fact was, the only thing he remembered was that he was sitting and having a conversation. He couldn't remember what the table or chairs looked like, if there was anything else in the environment, or what the conversation was even about. All of it, if it had been there at all, had fallen to the wayside in the wake of the realization that he was talking to his father.
It was strange to see his father, even in a dream as he hadn't thought about the man in years. There had been a passing thought here and there, but he couldn't remember a time where he had actually considered the man himself. Even when he had first considered becoming a knight, it was more about keeping his father's legacy alive as opposed to contemplating what the man would have wanted for him. As he reflected on the man responsible for his birth, he realized just how little he actually knew about him. He might have blamed that on his own lack of curiosity; however, there were still large gaps in his memory. Had he bothered trying to learn about his father after he had left Zora's Domain to become a knight?
While he couldn't remember what his father said, there were a few things he could recall. Most prominently, he remembered how his father had been wearing a strained smile as he looked at Link. The Hylian found the image quite distressing, especially because he didn't know what he had done. Had he disappointed his father? Was the man worried about him? Was there something his father knew that he didn't? While he knew he was likely overthinking the whole ordeal, he still entertained the thoughts.
The whole reason he had chosen to become a knight was to honor his father, yet it was something that he had devoted little time to ponder whether or not he was indeed honoring his father. To further complicate the matter, he was confronted by the possibility that he could be dishonoring the man by hoping for a day in which he could hang up his blade.
He sighed as he looked up at the setting sun. Life had been so much easier when he hadn't let himself evaluate such things.
He felt a series of small thuds as something approached him. He tensed up slightly waiting for a massive clap on the back. A few seconds later, there was a larger thud as someone settled next to him, punctuating the action by slapping him on the back with a massive hand.
"How are ya – Sorry!" Daruk quickly exclaimed as Link grunted, clutching his bad arm as it screamed in protest. The Goron Champion gave him a few seconds to recover before starting again. "Ya doin' okay?"
He nodded, sparing his friend a glance before looking back out over the Desert.
"Whatcha thinkin' about, Little Guy?"
"… What was my father like?"
"Yer father? I don't remember much, but I know he was a real brother." Though the words were few, they meant quite a lot coming from Daruk. The Goron Champion would often describe people outside of the Goron tribe as good or decent. The word "brother," however, was reserved for the people he held in the highest esteem. The kind of people that were strong, powerful, and had their friends' back no matter what, which were the qualities that Daruk respected most. "He was the kind of guy that loved bein' alive, ya know? He'd go and do crazy things, tell jokes, make friends with just about anyone, go on adventures for the fun of it, and smiled as much as he could."
Link tilted his head, trying to match that kind of personality with the man he'd seen in his dream. While his father had looked very much alive, he couldn't quite reconcile the distress he'd seen to what Daruk was trying to describe.
"Why do ya ask?"
That was a question he very much wanted the answer to himself. He wasn't sure why he'd had a dream about his father, or why it had such a grip on him. "I had a dream," he finally answered. He fell silent as he debated asking the next question on his mind. Potentially, he could either receive a boost or a hit to his morale. The problem was the lack of certainty, which made asking a gamble; however, the Goron Champion spoke up again before he could reach a decision.
"He loved ya and yer mother." Daruk looked up and closed his eyes. Link was certain that he was remembering something about his friend.
"Would he be proud of me?" He hadn't really made the choice consciously, but he figured that now would be his only opportunity to actually get an answer. An answer to a question he hadn't really known he wanted.
"Hmm," Daruk hummed as he began stroking his beard, a troubled expression crossing his face.
Link frowned again, trying to prepare himself for the worst.
"Don't get me wrong," Daruk said, as though knowing what was going through the Hylian Champion's mind, "I think he would be proud of you, but I also think he would be worried." Daruk continued stroking his beard, seeming to take time to get his thoughts in order before he continued. "Do ya know why I was so hard on Yunobo when we first met him?"
The Hylian Champion shook his head. He had been surprised by Daruk's behavior during their time on Death Mountain. While there were qualities necessary to gain the Goron's respect, it wasn't like him to actively try and correct those shortcomings in others. Yunobo was an exception though, as Daruk had gone so far as to refuse an answer from his grandson unless it was given with confidence.
"That's because he wasn't really bein' Yunobo."
Link shot him a questioning gaze. He was used to Daruk saying peculiar things in his attempts to say exactly what he meant but rarely was it difficult for him to discern exactly what the Goron Champion was trying to communicate. In this instance though, he wasn't sure what he meant when he said that Yunobo wasn't really being Yunobo.
"Uh… Think about it," Daruk replied uncertainly as he scratched the side of his head, looking for some way to explain what he was trying to say. "It was like he was pretending to be Yunobo but wasn't really Yunobo."
Link's gaze didn't waver. This was by far one of the most perplexing conversations he'd ever had with the Goron, and that was including the conversations about which rocks tasted the best.
"Uh… you know how he was a coward at first?"
Link nodded.
"Right. I believe that he's capable of great things. Maybe it's cause he's my grandson, maybe not. The important thing is that he can't accomplish those things if he's busy bein' a coward. How can he lead the Gorons if he's runnin' at the first sign of trouble?"
Link looked back down at the water, finally making sense of what Daruk was trying to say, even if it wasn't the clearest way of saying it. Yunobo's cowardice had held him back, and if he had let it continue dominating his life, then he would have lived the rest of his days hiding from everything on the off chance that something could threaten him.
"I'm not sayin' you're a coward, but I do think there's somethin' holdin' you back. Somethin' keeping ya from bein' the real Link, if that makes sense."
Link nodded vacantly as he continued staring into the water. He supposed he had never taken the time to think about what things might be holding him back. Unfortunately, staring at his reflection in the oasis didn't aid him in his search for an answer.
"Ha! Don't overthink it, Little Guy!" Daruk chuckled as he patted Link on the back again, this time much more gently. "You're young yet. Ya still got time to figure all that out. Just keep it in mind, ya know?"
Link nodded, much more firmly this time, which earned him an approving grin from the Goron.
The two sat in companionable silence as the sun sank below the horizon. Though Daruk had given him a lot to think about, Link instead found himself treading back through memories of the Bazaar. At one time, Zelda had snuck out of Hyrule Castle in what he could only assume was an attempt to get away from him and her father. He was well aware of her departure and had followed just close enough to intervene if she'd gotten in trouble, but far enough behind that she was unaware of him.
Of course, his progress had been hindered when he reached the Bazaar as that was when he had been forced to find a way to enter Gerudo Town. Unfortunately, he'd been forced to rely on a particular bit of advice from Urbosa in order to get into the Town. As it turned out, it was a waste of time as, by the time he had gained access to the city, Zelda had already left to study the Divine Beast.
He had finally caught up after nightfall, with Zelda mercifully asleep by the time he arrived. Urbosa had been mildly impressed at how fast he had caught up with them, but he could tell she would have been disappointed if he hadn't been so quick to arrive. Though he was relieved to have finally caught up with the Princess, he hadn't allowed himself to relax, a decision that would pay off the next morning.
Zelda, believing her knight was asleep, had stolen away again before the sun had risen much above the horizon. Link, knowing that she would likely attempt to slip away again, had been ready and was not far behind. Meanwhile, Zelda had caught the attention of a couple of Yiga assassins, who had jumped at the opportunity to assassinate her. Thankfully, Link had been able to reach her just in time, driving them back before any harm could come to the Princess.
After that, things became fuzzy, though he had a few vague images of himself and the Princess having a moment without any hostility. He wished he could remember more, but the further he tried to traverse through the memories, the more muddled they became.
He sighed, wishing that he had more to reflect on than the few strings of memories he had. Instead, all he had were a few years worth of memories from Zora's Domain.
"I know," Daruk grumbled. "I wish there were better tastin' rocks as well."
Link eyed him, making his incredulity known.
"What?" The Goron asked; however, he didn't wait for an answer as his eyes lighted on something behind Link. "Hey, Mipha!"
Link felt his heart stop. He had meant to get back to his bed before the Zora Champion woke up, as he knew that she would never let him hear the end of his "irresponsible choices." Apparently, the opportunity had been lost.
"Good evening, Daruk." He felt a small pit of dread growing in his stomach as he heard the anger that rested just behind the forced politeness.
"Is somethin' wrong?" Daruk asked uncertainly.
"No… May I borrow Link for a moment?"
"Yeah… sure," Daruk replied as he got to his feet as his gaze shot between both of the younger Champions. "Good luck, Little Guy," He murmured before lumbering off and leaving Link to his fate.
Link gulped as Mipha settled down next to him.
"Whoah…"
Urbosa smiled at the awe she heard in the young girl's voice, glad to hear something other than sadness in Zelda's voice. Since the death of her mother, the young girl had been wallowing in her grief. Even months later, she showed no signs of improvement. As a result, the Gerudo Chieftain had convinced King Rhoam to allow her to take the grieving Princess on a visit to Gerudo Town. She was certain that a change of scenery would do the girl some good.
As Zelda gazed around with wide eyes, Urbosa was certain that she had made the right choice.
Though the Queen had not asked her to watch over the Princess, the Gerudo Chieftain had decided that she would watch over Zelda as best she could. Of course, her ability to do so would be limited as she couldn't move to Hyrule Castle and the Princess couldn't move to Gerudo Town, but that didn't mean that she couldn't find some way to make it work. She doubted there would be issues with her visiting Hyrule Castle often and for extended periods of time, seeing as she had been doing it for years. Issues would arise in her absence, but her younger sister was quite adept at handling the immediate problems that arose. Even when something too large for her little sister to handle surfaced, the speed of the Rito's mailing system allowed for said problems to be handled with relative ease. And if the issue was too massive for her to handle from the Castle, or if she simply needed to spend time among her people, that same system would at least allow her to stay in communication with the Princess.
There were ways to make it work.
As she mulled the options over in her mind, she couldn't help but think back to a conversation she'd had with the Queen a few years prior. During that conversation, she'd claimed that she didn't have time to devote to raising a child, yet now she found herself developing plans to make time for a child that wasn'teven her own. Granted, the circumstances were radically different than the hypothetical they had discussed, but still, there was a bitter irony there.
Of course, the death of the Queen wasn't the only impetus for her decision. She had never been fond of King Rhoam as he had always had a penchant for being pompous and otherwise unpleasant, but ever since the death of his wife, he had become even colder. He had never struck her as emotionally available, he was remarkably withdrawn and seemingly uncaring towards the young Princess. As a result, Urbosa had decided that leaving the Castle was in the Princess' best interest for the time being. She needed to get away from it all before it became too much. Though she was grieving the Queen's death herself, she would do her best to ensure that the young Princess had at least one person in her corner.
"Mother always told me this place was a sight to see," the girl murmured, her voice falling as she inadvertently reminded herself of her mother.
"Is that so, Little Bird?"
The Princess nodded, wiping at her eyes.
"And did she tell you about Sand Seals?" She could tell by the look on Zelda's face that she had no idea what her guide was talking about. "Oh, I think you'll like this," she said with a wink before guiding the Princess through the streets. There was still healing to be done, but a bit of fun couldn't hurt. In fact, there was a good chance it could lead to healing of its own.
"Are you looking to rent a Sand Seal?" the woman running the stand asked.
Urbosa stared at her for a moment, doing her best to make sense of what was going on. She was watching herself introduce a young Hylian Princess to a mellow Sand Seal just as she was looking at the woman who stood before her.
"No," she said, finally returning to reality in some sense. She could still see herself selecting a seal and leaving the city behind. "Sorry, I was thinking about something."
The woman continued staring at her uncertainly, obviously put off by Urbosa's behavior.
"I may need to rent one from you later," Urbosa lied, hoping to set the woman somewhat at ease before something untoward happened.
"Oh!" All at once, the suspicion disappeared and was replaced by a friendly smile. "If that's the case, is there any way I can help you?"
"No, but thank you. Perhaps later I will have need of your services."
Urbosa left the stand behind, seeing yet another instance of herself and Zelda exploring the shops that lined either side of the road. Though she needed to return to Riju with the Thunder Helm and learn what she could about Naboris, she didn't shake the memories off this time, choosing instead to watch them play out for a few minutes. Her past self and the Princess eyed various wares until Zelda stumbled onto a jewelry store. She smiled fondly as she and the girl picked through the various headpieces, necklaces, and other gemstone-encrusted adornments, finally settling on a pair of earrings to commemorate Zelda's first visit to Gerudo Town.
She let the scene play out for a few more moments before dispelling it for the time being. There would be plenty of time to get lost in the past after Ganon had been defeated, but for now, she needed to return her efforts to the task at hand.
The Gerudo Champion moved through the city, fighting any and every urge to think back to the events that kept trying to flood her mind. Once the Thunder Helm was returned to Riju's custody, then she had no doubts that the Chieftain would tell her what she knew of Naboris. Considering that Urbosa had yet to see a trace of the Divine Beast, she could only hope that Riju had a way of determining its whereabouts. Then again, with the sandstorms that had been ravaging the eastern reaches of the Desert, perhaps it wasn't terribly surprising that she had yet to find Naboris. Even if she did find the Divine Beast, she would have to proceed carefully as Daruk had tried to extract a promise from her. A promise that she wouldn't do something that could get her killed.
It wasn't a promise she had made.
Her fingers trailed down to another object strapped to her belt. The night prior, she had deftly slipped the Slate from the Rito Champion's belt and secured it to her own. She hadn't been intending to try and secure Naboris herself as her odds of success lay in fighting beside her fellow Champions; however, Mipha and Daruk wouldn't be able to cross the Desert in any sort of a safe and timely fashion, and both Link and Revali were still recovering from their battle with Farosh. Though Mipha had done her best to tend to their wounds, her healing powers were still horribly limited and, as a result, nobody knew when they would be back in order. She would just have to do the best she could.
Urbosa climbed the steps of the Gerudo Palace, only stopping to remove her hood before entering and presenting herself to Riju. "Chieftain," she greeted with a nod. She hid a smile as Riju stared at her with wide eyes again.
"You're still alive," the girl breathed as she sat back on the throne. "When the Guard returned, they informed me that you had journeyed into the hideout, but Farosh wasn't far behind. They didn't see the entirety of the carnage, but…"
"I survived the Great Calamity. I think it'll take more than a few incompetent assassins in tights and a dragon to take me down… even if Farosh did try to bring a mountain down on me," she replied with a wink.
"Farosh tried to what?!"
"He made up for it by flying me back to the Bazaar," Urbosa continued, watching with poorly concealed amusement as even Buliara's eyes widened at the news. She wasn't sure when, but at some point, she had started to enjoy pulling reactions out of normally stoic individuals.
"A few of the Guards mentioned seeing a Rito carrying a Hylian out of the Hideout, can we assume that they were your fellow Champions?" Riju asked, regaining her composure.
"Yes," she replied, heer smile faded as she reached down to her belt and removed the Thunder Helm from its place on her hip. She held it up, presenting the relic to the young Chieftain.
"It would seem the legends surrounding you are true." Buliara, who had been silent up to that point, didn't sound terribly impressed, but that meant little considering the way she was sizing Urbosa up now. "Impressive."
"Impressive indeed," Riju added as she stood and walked down the steps and took the relic. "To think that you were able to infiltrate the Yiga stronghold and reclaim one our greatest treasures… I can see why you were named Gerudo Champion."
Though the she barely knew Riju in any sense, Urbosa couldn't deny that receiving praise from her chieftain was rewarding in its own right. Though she had once been sitting on the throne herself, she wasn't about to disregard such a compliment. She was still a Gerudo, after all. She did have to set the swell of pride aside though, as there were more pressing matters to attend to. "Chieftain."
Riju's eyes refocused on her as she took the Thunder Helm. She could still see the awe in the girl's eyes, but she waited for permission to continue speaking. No matter what esteem the Chieftain held her in, there was a level of respect that was due to the leader of their tribe. As such, Urbosa would wait until prompted to continue.
Riju continued staring at her, as though waiting for her to continue on her own.
"Speak your mind," Buliara finally said, snapping Riju out of whatever trance she had been in.
"Yes!" the Chieftain agreed quickly, her cheeks reddening slightly. The Champion could only assume that the girl was embarrassed by her own failure to respond properly. It didn't bother Urbosa personally, as she imagined that she wouldn't have responded much better had their roles been switched. The Champion couldn't imagine that speaking to someone like herself would become any easier the second time around. In fact, it occurred to her that it may have been even more difficult than the first experience, as Riju may have been able to twist the event in her mind, making it simpler to accept. There was likely no such comforts the second time.
"As I am sure Lady Impa informed you, we Champions are seeking to reclaim the Divine Beasts." Oddly enough, Riju's visible tension bled away as she spoke. Perhaps having a larger task to deal with helped refocus her, or perhaps she was becoming used to the idea that a Champion was standing before her. Whatever the case, it was a welcome change. "If you know where Vah Naboris is, I would as that you tell me."
Riju stared at her, visibly conflicted by something. After a few silent minutes passed, she turned to Buliara. "Tell Padda to ready Patricia."
"Lady Riju, you do not intend to –"
"That was not a request!" Riju replied, only the faintest quiver in her voice. "The fate of our people and of Hyrule rests on the success of the Champions. I cannot ask anyone but myself to shoulder such a burden."
Urbosa remained silent as Buliara tried to argue with the young Chieftain. Though she understood Buliara's concerns, she also understood where Riju was coming from. During her time as leader of the tribe, Urbosa had often undertaken dangerous endeavors in the hopes that she could preserve her people's lives, while also earning her right to be the Chieftain. There was a staunchly held belief among their people that the leader of the tribe must be willing to do anything that she asked her people to do. Riju was clearly taking this ideal seriously, even if it meant throwing herself into a danger that she couldn't fully comprehend.
"As the Chief, I must –"
"If I may propose a compromise," Urbosa interjected, finally deciding on an appropriate course of action. "Perhaps Lady Riju could accompany me to the Divine Beast's location and ensure that I am able to board Naboris successfully. Then, she could return to the safety of the City."
"It is not so simple," Buliara replied tightly. "Naboris is capable of generating lightning, meaning that the Thunder Helm is needed to subdue the Beast. The strain required to effectively wield the Helm's protective power means that there needs to be at least one other warrior present to attack the Beast."
As Urbosa recalled, the Helm could summon a protective barrier that safely dispelled any sort of electric charge; however, she didn't recall it having a particularly draining effect. She supposed though that she couldn't remember using the relic herself, so she wasn't the best judge of its qualities.
"Buliara, I refuse to send Lady Urbosa on her own. If you are worried about my safety, then you may accompany us as well."
"That I will."
The Gerudo Champion watched as Buliara nearly stormed off, leaving Urbosa and Riju alone.
"I would ask that you forgive her. She can be a bit overbearing when I am in danger."
"That's what guards are for," Urbosa replied with a smile. "I must say, it is good to see you settling into your role."
"I still have so much growing left to do," she muttered quietly. Urbosa walked up the steps, sitting in front of the throne and turning to the young Chieftain, waiting for her to continue. "Sometimes, I can't help but wonder why our sisters follow me."
"Why do you insist on accompanying me?" Urbosa asked impassively. She had a feeling she knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from the girl herself.
"I don't feel like I can ask our people to risk their lives for me if I'm not willing to do the same for them."
"That's why they follow you. They know how devoted you are to them." The Gerudo Champion leaned back and studied the girl's face. "You're right. You do have a ways to go before you come into your own; however, you've already taken the first steps." Though Riju was young and likely untested, Urbosa could see the makings of a great leader. Unfortunately, she was her own worst enemy as she had allowed her doubts to overcome her. She might have believed that the girl was just a victim of circumstance, but considering the conversation she'd had with Buliara, it sounded like such things were a regular occurrence.
"So, what comes next?"
"You take the next step," Urbosa replied quietly as Buliara returned cutting the conversation short.
"Patricia will be ready within the hour," the guard stated. Thankfully, she had regained her composure and didn't bat an eye as the Gerudo Champion took to her feet and returned to her former position.
"I suppose that gives us time to develop a plan. Lady Urbosa, how would you suggest we proceed."
The Gerudo Champion gave the barest twitch of her lips before responding. Though Riju still had a ways to go before she fully bloomed as a leader, Urbosa could rest easier knowing that her people would be left in good hands, even after she passed on into the next life.
A/N: I LIIVVEE (kudos if you got that reference).
So, as most of you have probably figured out, this is the first fic in a series that will eventually lead to a Super Smash Bros. crossover (Fire Emblem, Metroid, and Smash Bros. are slated). Now, this is important as some of you may have noticed the poll posted on my profile page. That poll is for those of you with a profile to vote on which fic you would like to see added to the series. Now there are a few things to keep in mind:
-I will not be accepting votes from the review/comment section (this goes for PMs as well). This is because I have little to no control over what happens there, and there is the potential that the same reader could vote multiple times and I don't want to pad the reviews. Unfortunately, this means that those without accounts won't be able to vote.
Guest reviews that solely consist of votes will be removed.
-Voting does not mean that you have a say in the plot. I know that many of you have great ideas for stories, but very often your suggestions don't coincide well with my plans. That doesn't mean they're bad, just that they belong in a different story entirely.
If Pokemon winds up being chosen, it may not feature the characters/pokemon of your choosing. You can PM me if you have questions.
-Please do not suggest the additions of other fandoms in the poll. I selected the 4 I did as I have quite a bit of experience with the 4 choices as it is and, even with all of that experience, there will still be quite a lot of research for me to do. Trying to write for a fandom that I am unfamiliar would increase the amount of required research exponentially.
-Finally, whatever is chosen will not be nearly as massive a project as CoaFA, BBSF, etc. As it is more supplementary than anything else, it'll be more akin to OWaP in terms of style. If you want to know what that would look like, then I recommend giving OWaP a read just so you'll have an idea.
For now, I plan to leave the poll open until the first chapter of BBSF is posted. After that, it will be closed so that I can start the long, arduous research process. As always, thank you to those of you who constantly support me. This fic has grown larger than I ever thought it would and that is partially thanks to all of you who consistently offer me support.
Guest Reviews:
EnjoyingTheStory: Yeah, I only took a limited amount from the Champions' Ballad. Even if I were to incorporate it into the story, as it is from Urbosa's perspective, there is no way to actually verify that Zelda was actually listening (which is an important part of prayer for several religions).
Razmire: I considered giving Kogha a beefier battle, but then I asked why.
Paranoia: In love with me or with my writing because one is a horrible decision.
DarukFan: I'll be honest, I am not sure what you mean. Urbosa riding a dragon isn't a character moment, and Daruk has had his fair share of similar moments. As for Yunobo jumping in after them, it wasn't supposed to take away from Daruk's character. What does it say about Daruk that his grandson (who is a coward) willingly leaps into danger after him? As for the scene with the dragons, it needed to be included for the payoff, the problem was I didn't want to introduce new characters, hence Sidon. The problem with the Gorons was that they would have just been a repeat of the Zora. That was why Kass was chosen instead. Again, I am just trying to say that I am not really sure where you're coming from. I have an idea, but I would rather not assume. Anyway, I am sorry that you haven't gotten enough of your favorite character. I hope that you will still be able to enjoy the rest though.
Scotflower: Thanks for letting me know. I think I fixed them all, but knowing me, I probably missed seventy or so... sigh...