Gerudo Desert was not a place for the unprepared.
Unfortunately, Kat was not very good at preparing.
"It's so fucking hot!" Kat groused as the three of them trudged through the sand. Supposedly there was a path there, a section of stone that served as a road, but it was so completely covered in sand that it might as well have not existed. The only reason they knew it was there was because it was marked on Ruru's map.
But that didn't feel like it mattered much when the weight of the blasting hot sun was beating down on their heads. Even though it was well past its zenith and was descending down toward the horizon, the entire desert felt like an oven.
They'd left the stable two hours ago after relaxing for a bit and taking advantage of the well to wipe themselves clean in the relative privacy behind the stable. Kat wanted a set of local clothes as well, since Ruru especially was catching a lot of attention with her sexy villainess outfit, but the inn didn't sell anything like that, or much of anything at all. Their only option would have been to wait for a traveling merchant and hope they were carrying clothes. It wasn't worth the time, so they headed out instead, being told that the bazaar that served as the halfway point between the stable and Gerudo Town would have something for sale.
The first stretch of the walk hadn't been too bad. It was still pretty hot within the canyon, hot enough to make you break out into a sweat even when standing still, but it was bearable. Maomao suffered a bit more than the other two, since Kat was used to those kinds of temperatures and Ruru was unfazed, but she managed.
And then they reached the desert proper.
Kat had been excited, at first. She'd spent a lot of her life on beaches, but never an actual desert. And visiting new locations like this was a huge part of why she signed up for the job. It was exciting, adventurous, and exotic.
That excitement lasted for all of five minutes.
The sun's heat was like an oppressive weight on their backs, bearing down on her. The air was dry, her sweat evaporating before it could bring much relief. The sand under her was hot as well, baked by the sun and baking them in turn as more heat radiated off of it. It was just like how Kat imagined being in an oven would feel.
"Don't say it, that just makes it hotter," Maomao groused in a weak voice. Her head was slumped down and her arms limp as she trudged through the sand behind them. Kat wasn't sure how much longer she would last, and they were only halfway to the bazaar.
Kat glanced at Ruru and then frowned. "Why are you okay?"
Ruru tilted her head. "This temperature is within the range at which I can safely operate due to my internal cooling system."
"Internal cool- you have AC?!"
"I am not cooling or otherwise treating the air directly, so the term 'AC' isn't-" Ruru's technical explanation was cut off as Maomao practically threw herself at the android.
"Oooooh, blessed cold!" Maomao cried out in relief as she pressed herself against Ruru. "It feels so good!"
Kat perked up and approached Ruru as well. When she got about a foot away, she felt the air temperature drop. Technically speaking, it wasn't cold, not at the edge, but it wasn't hot, which made it feel cold. And as she got closer and also wrapped her arms around Ruru, it was like being doused by a bucket of water.
"Oooh, Ruru, you were holding out on us," Kat complained.
"The range of my cooling is limited and we cannot travel like this," Ruru pointed out in monotone.
"Mmm. Maybe. But still, breaks. We need breaks from the heat."
"That will slow us down significantly."
"But it's just so hot," Kat grumbled. "I might actually die of heat stroke."
Ruru didn't reply to that, and several minutes passed as the two normal girls hugged their cooler companion. Her skin and clothes were cool to the touch, and both of them tried to press their bodies as tightly against her as they could. And for once, Kat wasn't even thinking lewd thoughts while doing it, which was just another sign of how oppressive the heat was.
"If you are affected by the heat to this degree, might I suggest purchasing Wild Defense?" Ruru eventually suggested. "You have enough Credits leftover to afford the first level of it, and that will greatly help your ability to handle the heat."
"Isn't that what we got from the last mission?" Kat asked.
"That was Wild Talent. Wild Defense is different but related."
"Well, why didn't you mention that earlier!" Kat let go of Ruru. "Let's get it immediately!"
Ruru nodded, Maomao still clinging to her. "Very well."
And a second later, Kat felt it. It was still hot, that didn't change. But it just didn't seem to affect her quite as much. She could acknowledge it, but then brush it off. It wasn't just some mental trick either, at least she was pretty sure it wasn't, but only time would say for certain.
"That… feels great!" Kat cheered. "Shit, I really should have gotten that earlier."
Maomao, peeking around Ruru's side, saw Kat's improvement and decided to see for herself. So she hesitantly let go of Ruru and took a step back, only to get slammed with the heat once again. She snapped back to Ruru. "What the hell, that was just as bad!"
"You have still not been fully captured," Ruru pointed out. "As such, you are not recognized as a member of the retinue and do not share in the benefits."
"Uggghhh," she groaned. "How long until I am?"
"It will take several more days. You could, however, instantly become a member of the retinue by confessing your love to Kat Silver."
Maomao glanced over at Kat, who was watching them and looking smug. "...I love you." She waited in silence for a moment. "Did that work?"
"It did not. The confession must be sincere."
Maomao groaned against Ruru's back once more. Her feelings toward Kat were still a confused mess, so there was no way she could manage something 'sincere' by whatever metric was being used. The whole situation was weird anyway.
"It's fine, it's fine," Kat said. She was a little disappointed that Maomao couldn't give her that much, but it had only been a couple of days, so she tried not to begrudge her too much. "I'm fine now, so you can just give Maomao a piggy back ride and we'll keep going, yeah?"
Ruru nodded. "That is likely for the best."
Now marginally better prepared for the heat, the three of them set off again, heading for the bazaar. Maomao was slung over Ruru's back, complaining about being treated like luggage, though she shut up every time that Ruru asked if she wanted to get down. Kat walked normally, feeling every bit like she was taking a stroll down the beach rather than the middle of a harsh desert.
It wasn't the most exciting of trips, but by the time the sun was almost touching the horizon, they saw it in the distance. The boring brown sand dunes were replaced with tents, buildings, and even trees. Kat had to resist the urge to start running for it like a little kid, but she definitely walked faster once it was in sight.
As they approached, they were met with one of the tallest women that Kat had ever seen. Her skin was deliciously dark and she was absolutely ripped, more so than any other person Kat had ever seen. But she wasn't huge, just chiseled. Her abs and arms were on full display too, as she wore baggy loose pants, but her blue and gold top covered her breasts in a manner similar to a sports bra, but if it was armored. She wore arm guards and shin guards of a similar style, and she had a veil that covered the lower half of her face. Her hair was bright red and held up in a high ponytail, and she carried a gold and red spear taller than she was.
"Sav'aaq, travellers," she greeted them, her bracelet's translation function informing her that it was a greeting that didn't have a suitable translation. "Welcome to Kara Kara Bazaar." The tall woman glanced at Maomao on Ruru's back. "Is she alright?"
"She is suffering from mild heat exhaustion, but is not in any danger," Ruru replied.
The woman nodded. "Good thing you got here when you did then. Make sure you rest up, and get her some water. We have plenty." She gestured over her shoulder and Kat's attention was drawn from the sexy muscular woman to the large pond of clear water behind them. She noted that the entire bazaar was built around it, circling the pond with every tent and shop facing in toward it.
"We'll do that!" Kat said excitedly, her sense of adventure coming back now that they were in an actually interesting place. As she looked out she saw more tall dark skinned women of various ages, a few of them armed. But she also saw people more like the ones they met in the stable, with the pointy ears.
She even did a double take as she spotted what was clearly a bird man, talking and gesturing with someone nearby. A grin grew on her face. This was what she wanted to see when she decided to go out and explore the multiverse. Strange but cool stuff. She wondered if maybe she could meet a bird woman, and what sex with one would be like. Would the feathers get in the way? She wanted to find out.
"Are you heading for Gerudo Town?" the woman asked.
"That's the plan, probably tomorrow morning," Kat said with a nod. "Know of a place where we can sleep?"
"You are free to put up a tent anywhere, if you wish, though I don't see any supplies on you?" She raised an eyebrow at them.
Kat supposed it made sense that seeing people travel without any kind of bags or anything was concerning. They were cheating with Pocket Space after all.
"Ah, no, but we're fine, don't worry," Kat said, no excuse coming to mind in time. "Though we do need to buy some stuff."
The woman looked at them for a moment longer with a bemused stare before shaking her head. "Well, you are at the right place for that at least. Most of the tents with wares in front of them are stores, where you can find food, clothes, traveling supplies, and more." She then gestured across the pond and at the largest stone structure. "There is an inn run by Kachoo. It is not very private, but it offers real beds and a roof."
"Mmm, is that so?" Kat replied. "Okay, got it. Anything else?"
"Only that this place is under the protection of the Gerudo, and our laws apply," she warned them, but her tone was casual. "So long as you do not steal or attack anyone, or otherwise cause a fuss, you will have no trouble here."
"We can do that, right girls?"
"I will endeavor to not create any fusses," Ruru said in monotone. Maomao just grunted.
"Right. Well, my name is Ripp, if you need me for anything, just ask," she said. "It is nice being able to talk to someone during my watch shift."
"Will you be here tomorrow morning?" Kat asked. Ripp, which Kat thought was an amazing name, nodded. "Then I'll stop by and talk again before we leave!"
"I look forward to it," Ripp replied. Her mouth was hidden, but Kat could tell she was smiling. "For now though, you should probably see to your companion."
"Right! Come on Ruru, let's get Maomao somewhere comfortable. And probably get a change of clothes for her." Giving one last nod to Ripp, the three of them headed into the bazaar.
The air was cooler near the water, and when combined with the shade offered by the tall palm trees it was back down to comfortable levels. Not that it mattered as much now, thanks to Wild Defense, but Maomao was able to get off of Ruru's back and not start melting again.
"First things first, a change of clothes," Kat declared, looking at the shops. "And I think I want a tent. We'll want one in the future anyway."
"I feel it necessary to remind you that we have limited space available in your Pocket Space," Ruru pointed out. "We are currently under half capacity, but large purchases will quickly fill up available space."
"We should probably start carrying some ourselves, if only to blend in," Kat pointed out. "But good to know. Any way we can fix that?"
"Not currently. You only have 1 Credit left, and none of the perks available to you can increase the size of it. However, missions may offer solutions as a reward."
"Something to keep an eye out for I suppose. Well, let's get shopping!"
As the sun set, the three of them made their way around the ring of tents selling their wares. Kat was very interested in the currency they used, which took the form of small colored gems. Ruru said that she detected magic in them, and the more valuable the gem, the more magic it had. It wasn't something they could use, but Kat loved it.
They picked up a large bag for supplies that had a compartment for a simple tent just barely large enough to hold all three of them. They grabbed a thick blanket as well for night time. It was always a comfortable temperature back on the Seablock, but not so here.
They grabbed a lot of food, mostly fruit, veggies, and some other basics that all looked very similar to food that Kat was familiar with, but was either slightly different or just had a different name.
And finally, they purchased Gerudo outfits, which a Gerudo woman was selling. Like Ripp and most other Gerudo were wearing, the outfit consisted of pants that were wide and flowy, a colorful top that left their midriff exposed, and a veil that covered the lower half of their face. Kat got one in silver, Ruru one in purple, and Maomao in green.
"It reminds me of some of the outfits we danced in at the Verdigris house," Maomao said, now feeling much better with the lower temperatures and change of clothes, as she examined herself after changing into it. "Though wearing pants is weird."
"I'd prefer you in a skirt as well, but this is probably more practical," Kat said as she eyed her two companions. The Gerudo outfits were sexy as hell on both of them. She was definitely keeping these to wear back on the Seablock, though maybe without the veil. It kept getting stuck on her lips when she breathed in.
Although now that she was looking at them, a problem became readily apparent.
"Maomao, you're looking a little red," Kat informed her. "More than a little, actually." Her face, which had been the only part of her exposed in her previous outfit, was quickly reddening. And unfortunately, it wasn't from a blush, but from sunburn.
Maomao reached up to touch her face, winced, and then sighed. "Yeah, that's a burn."
Kat grimaced. "I definitely didn't think of that. I should have brought some sunscreen with me, but…" She gestured to herself. "I earned this tan so I wouldn't need stuff like that."
Maomao frowned. "Sunscreen?"
"A sort of lotion that helps prevent sunburn."
Her eyes widened. "Ooh. I've heard of those but never made one. The recipes in my father's books required ingredients that were too expensive for us for their effect. Makeup was cheaper, and the courtesans mostly worked at night anyway."
"My world had all sorts that were pretty cheap. Hopefully this world is similar. Ruru, can you set up the tent somewhere while I go ask around for some sunscreen? And some aloe vera, or whatever version they have here."
"Understood. Do you desire any particular location?"
Kat looked around. There was plenty of room within the shade and near the water without getting in anyone's way as there weren't many people still here. She then spotted a fire burning in an open area with a cookpot where no one else was around. She pointed to it. "Over by that fire, since we should probably eat something and I'm tired of dates."
"Will you be cooking something then?" Ruru asked.
"Yeah, I thought I would." She grinned. "It's about time I put that one perk to use."
Ruru and Maomao went to set up the tent and claim their spot before the sun completely set and Kat made another lap of the oasis. Many of the vendors were starting to pack up their stuff, but Kat was able to convince a couple of them to sell her some things. It wasn't that hard, they were eager to make some more sales.
Kat arrived at the fire just as Ruru was finishing setting it up. She handed a bottle filled with a blue-white liquid to Maomao. "Here, rub this on your burns, it will help."
Maomao took it and eyed the sticky liquid suspiciously. "What is it?"
"A lotion made from white chuchu jelly, whatever that is," Kat replied with a shrug. "They don't have aloe vera here, but the merchant said this is what they normally use."
"And you believed them?"
Kat rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, you know? I know how to tell if someone is selling you snake oil."
"Snake oil?"
"Useless and fake medicine," Kat said. "There was a whole thing in my world where a lot of scammers sold bullshit miracle cures."
"Ah. That's common at home too." She dipped her fingers into the jar of lotion. "Oh, that's surprisingly cold. Thank you."
"No problem." Kat glanced at her face, which was even more distinctly red now, but Kat's eyes were drawn to the fading bruise that wasn't quite covered up by the red burns, and the scratch on her forehead. "How are your other injuries?"
"Hmm? Oh, they're fine." She started spreading the lotion over herself, starting with her neck. "They'll be healed up within a day or two. They weren't ever that bad, really. I was treated surprisingly well."
Kat raised an eyebrow at the idea of what was obviously a result of taking at least one hit to the face as being treated well. But then again, she was found guilty of poisoning the emperor's wife, or one of them anyway. With a world like that, Kat couldn't really disagree that Maomao had gotten off lightly. Well, ignoring the public execution they had lined up for her.
"Good, good. I wasn't able to find some sunscreen, but I did get something that can help. But we'll worry about that tomorrow. For now, dinner!"
Kat made her way over to the cooking pot and made sure it was clean before pulling some tools and ingredients out of her bag. Her hands moved almost automatically as she selected and prepared her ingredients, her work requiring the barest of focus. She was limited in the complexity of what she could make, but even if the dish were fancier, it would be just as easy for her.
Once she was done applying the lotion, Maomao stepped closer to watch, stomach grumbling as the smell started to waft through the air. "Oooh, actual meat!" Maomao said happily.
"You a big fan of meat?" Kat asked with a grin as she cooked.
"Is there anyone that doesn't like meat?"
"You'd be surprised."
"Huh. Well, I definitely like meat."
"That's true. You definitely enjoyed eating my meat."
Maomao looked at her with confusion on her face, her brow furrowed as she tried to recall a time where Kat had made meat for her. But it only took her a moment to realize what Kat was implying and her expression shifted to unamused. "Seriously?"
Kat chuckled. "What, are you saying you didn't?"
"I'm saying don't associate good and healthy meat with your weird perversions."
"I'm not hearing a no~"
Maomao rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go help Ruru with the tent." She stood up and left, Kat's laughter following behind her as Maomao tried very hard not to remember what they did the other day.
It wasn't long before Kat was finished, though by that point the sun was fully below the horizon and stars were appearing in the dark sky above them. She doled out the food into three bowls which she awkwardly carried over to her companions. Maomao was in the tent, as it was starting to get cold, and she had changed back to her white prisoner outfit.
"Grub's up!" she announced as she handed out bowls. "Nothing fancy, just some meat and veggies cooked with salt and a bit of oil."
Maomao was practically drooling as she took the bowl. "Ooh, it smells delicious!" She used the fork to carry a chunk of grilled meat to her mouth, and she moaned as she tasted it. "Why does it taste so goooooood?!" she asked, drawing out the last word in another moan.
"I'd love to say that it's because I'm just that good of a cook. Which is sorta true! But that's because I have a perk from the Company that makes me one." Kat shrugged. "It's cheating, sorta, but I'm fine with cheating." Kat took a bit of her own and let out a moan. "Especially when it makes food this good, holy shit. And I didn't even crank it up all the way."
"It can get better?!"
Kat nodded, taking another bite. "Yeah, but if I make it too much better it will start becoming addictive."
Maomao looked down at the bowl of food in her hands. "...I can see that. I think you've already ruined all other food for me."
Kat frowned. "Wait… I've just consigned myself to cooking duty forever, haven't I?"
"Yes. Yes you have." Maomao nodded enthusiastically.
Kat thought about it for a moment, but then she shrugged and kept eating. "Eh, that's fine." She glanced over to Ruru. "How's it for- woah, where did your food go?"
Ruru tilted her head. "I stored it in the Pocket Space. Is that not why you handed it to me?"
"No, I handed it to you so you could eat it."
"But I do not need to eat."
"But you can, can't you?"
Ruru paused. "I am able to convert organic material to energy through consumption, yes."
"Well then there you go. Eat up."
"...if that is what you wish." She materialized the bowl back into her hands. Kat and Maomao watched as she used her fork to bring a vegetable to her mouth. Her face remained expressionless as her lips closed around it and she chewed it. Finally, she swallowed, and looked back up at Kat. "It's… good?"
Kat grinned and let out a laugh. "Why did you make it sound like a question?"
"My apologies. I am unused to eating and have very little data on how to interpret taste. But…" she looked down at the bowl in her hands, and Kat saw her lips twitch slightly. "It's good."
"Right?" Kat replied.
"Is there more?" Maomao asked, her bowl empty as she had eaten it all while Kat and Ruru were talking.
"Nope, I didn't make any extra," Kat said, taking another bite of her own.
Maomao pouted, her eyes shifting to Kat's mostly full bowl, and Kat pulled it away. "Nuh uh, you had yours! Ruru, don't give her any of yours either!"
"Understood," Ruru said, taking another bite, faster this time.
"Come on, that's not fair!" Maomao said even as Kat followed suit and started shoveling the food in her mouth.
"It's perfectly fair!" Kat said between bites. "It's as fair as it can be! Asking for more for free is unfair!"
"So I could trade you for it?" Maomao asked, eyes lighting up.
Kat paused her eating, considering that for a moment. Then she grinned and glanced down at Maomao's legs, which were exposed up to her mid thigh because her outfit had ridden up while sitting in the tent. "Sure, I'll trade you for it."
Maomao blinked, taking a moment to understand what she meant, and then sighed as she sat back and fixed her clothes. "Your cooking is dangerous, I actually seriously considered taking you up on that for a moment."
"Consider it longer, until you agree," Kat suggested.
But Maomao just rolled her eyes. "It wasn't that good. I'll just wait until breakfast." Or so she said, but Kat noticed that she still stole glances at her and Ruru's food as they finished eating.
After cleaning up their dishes and putting everything away, they settled in for bed. Maomao was already nodding off and didn't so much as blink as Kat stripped her clothes off.
Ruru, however, did. "I advise that you put more clothes on, temperatures are rapidly falling."
"That's what the blanket is for," Kat replied, holding it up. "And you, of course."
"Me?"
"After you mentioned your AC function, I remembered that you felt really warm after you pulled us out of the river. You can heat yourself up too, right?"
"That is correct."
"Well, we only have the one blanket, so I thought we would all get under it and you can make sure we stay warm!"
"I understand and find this plan agreeable," Ruru said with a nod. "However, I do not understand why you are getting naked for it."
"Because it's hot. Get it? Hot?"
"No, I will ensure that it does not get too hot. I believe 'warm' is how you would describe the ideal temperature."
Kat sighed. "Never mind. It's just because I want to."
"I see. Very well." Ruru laid down on the floor, which was made of a soft material that slightly offset the rough ground the tent was placed on. A second later, Kat felt a soft warmth wash over her that pushed back the chill that was starting to creep in. "I am ready."
Kat eagerly laid down next to her, wrapping her arms around Ruru's exposed stomach and snuggling against the android girl. "Mmm, you're so soft and warm," Kat muttered as she pressed her naked body closer to Ruru. "Come on Maomao, join us."
Maomao, who was essentially already asleep, nodded without opening her eyes and laid down on Ruru's other side, also shifting closer to the source of warmth, though not as intimately as Kat was doing. She laid her head down and was instantly asleep.
Kat smiled and pulled the blanket over them, trapping the heat that Ruru produced. "Good night, girls." She laid her head on Ruru's shoulder, and slipped into a slumber of her own.
-x-
They emerged from the tent, all three once again dressed in their Gerudo outfits, as the sun rose. Maomao hadn't really reacted at all to waking up snuggled against Ruru and next to a naked Kat, which Kat had mixed feelings about. It meant that she was getting more used to things, which was good, but her embarrassment was cute too and Kat wanted to see more of it.
Kat and Maomao made much needed trips to the bathrooms, which had actual honest to god plumbing, albeit fairly simple plumping and no sinks or anything. It was enough though, and they could pull water from the pond to wash up with, though they had to make sure not to dump the dirty water back in and instead dispose of it elsewhere.
After that Ruru and Maomao packed up the tent and other supplies while Kat cooked up some breakfast. Kat considered that a fairly good trade, as cooking was much more fun. It helped that she got a constant front row seat to the delicious smell of what she was making.
A few looks were sent her way as she cooked, the bazaar waking up as well, people milling about and preparing for their day. Kat ignored them though. There were only two people that she was going to share her food with.
"So, what is it you're making this time?" Maomao asked when she and Ruru finished. "Rice?"
"With some of those rushrooms and seasoned with something called cool safflina," Kat nodded. "According to the person I bought them from, eating something cooked with cool safflina will help you handle the heat and prevent you from getting burned."
"It can do what?" Maomao exclaimed, surprised. "That… that shouldn't work though?"
"Under mundane science and biology, such a thing is impossible," Ruru agreed. "However, magic suffuses every inch of this land, including the plant life. It is a low amount of magic, but is theoretically sufficient to produce those effects."
"You can see the magic then?" Kat asked, stirring her still cooking food.
"My sensory suite is capable of detecting most forms of energy, including supernatural types. However, I lack any ability to interact with them in meaningful ways, and I have no information about them beyond what I detect with my own sensors. I can confirm that the ingredients you are using contain trace amounts of a form of energy that is most easily described as magic, but cannot postulate on what kind of effects it would have."
She paused, and then continued speaking. "I can also detect that the energy is becoming more agitated as you cook it. It is passive and unmoving most of the time, but as you cook it, the energy flows and cycles." She looked out around the oasis. "This is true for the others making their breakfast as well."
"See? If Ruru says so, then he was probably telling the truth." Kat poked at a chunk of diced up rushroom and nodded. "There, this is good to go. I made sure to make more this time too."
Maomao had her brow furrowed, and she looked like she wanted to ask more about the magic ingredients, but as soon as Kat handed her a very full bowl, eating was all she could think about.
Kat handed Ruru a bowl as well before doling out the rest for herself. Ruru hesitated, looking down at the food for a moment, but then she dug in as well, her movements precise but at a speed that rivalled Maomao.
Kat took her time with it, leaving the cleanup to the other two and looking out at the bazaar. It was an interesting place, and part of her wanted to stay and explore it more, but they were on a schedule. Besides, she had learned that Gerudo town was a place that only allowed women inside, and that sounded like heaven to her.
"Come on girls," Kat said after cleaning and packing up her bowl. "Let's get going!"
They stopped to talk to Ripp again on their way out, who didn't have anything else to tell them beyond encouraging them to visit a bar that she was a regular at and warning them not to stray from the path, which was just as sand covered as the path to the bazaar was.
So the three of them set out, and the difference was immediately obvious.
"It's hot but… I feel like it isn't affecting me as much," Maomao noted as the sun rose behind them. "Like I can tolerate it better."
"Between the magic food and the Defense, I barely even feel it at all," Kat agreed. "Hell, it feels downright nice out."
"The magic is circulating through your bodies," Ruru confirmed, turning her gaze to both of them in turn. "As you digest it, it is spreading and activating even more." She then looked down at herself. "It is even working on me, despite my inorganic body. I cannot tell precisely what it is doing, however I have turned off my temperature regulation but have not experienced any reduction in the efficiency of my actions despite the higher temperatures."
"Also your sexy new outfit is less stuffy," Kat added.
"That is a minor factor, but yes, the increase in exposed skin does make cooling myself slightly more efficient."
Kat grinned and then turned her attention back forward as they walked. "It's pretty cool that it works on you though."
"Pretty cool?!" Maomao interjected. "It's more than just pretty cool! It's ridiculous and miraculous!" She turned to Kat. "We need to buy as many of these as we can before we leave! And all of the other magical herbs too!"
"Might I suggest trying to acquire seeds so that we might grow our own?" Ruru added. "It would be more cost efficient and give us a renewable source of them."
"That! Yes, we should do that!" Maomao nodded.
"Sure, sure, I don't mind. We'll see what we can get in Gerudo town, alright?"
"Hehe, I can't wait," Maomao giggled, her eyes twinkling. And for the next couple hours of their trip, as the sun crept up the sky, Maomao carried a pleased smile on her face as she muttered to herself about the things she could do.
That ended as the temperatures rose, and the effect of the cool safflina started to wear off, and the heat bore down on Maomao, sapping her energy. Once again, Ruru had to carry her on her back, this time with a towel over her to help prevent further sunburn.
And so they walked. And they kept walking. And then they walked some more. If it weren't for Ruru's map, Kat would have been convinced they were lost, as the road was still covered in sand in most places. It helped that they met a few others on the way, those traveling from Gerudo town to the bazaar. Mostly Gerudo women, none of whom stopped to chat and only gave a brief greeting before continuing. But there was also one man who tried to talk to them, asking if they knew a way for a man to get into town.
Kat told him to fuck off, and he did, literally running away. Granted, he had been running before he saw them, jogging across the desert, but still. Kat had no patience for a man trying to intrude on her lesbian heaven on earth. Or whatever this world was called.
They didn't stop for lunch, as they had no means to cook. Kat ate while walking, and Maomao ate while on Ruru's back, the two of them munching on more dates and some local berries. According to Ruru the berries had very little magic in them, and it was passive magic that dissipated when they ate it rather than being circulated through their bodies.
It was twice as far from the bazaar to town as it was from the stable to the bazaar, so even though they left in the morning, the sun had passed its zenith and was just starting to climb back down again before the town came into sight.
Ruru spotted it first, cheating with her special eyes. Kat couldn't see anything at first, the horizon was just a lumpy smudge of light brown sand in her eyes. It was another ten minutes of walking before the lumps sharpened enough that she could make out walls the color of sand, with a few dots of color in front and above it.
Those dots of color turned out to be a sort of stall that was erected against the outside wall and two Gerudo guards standing outside of a surprisingly small gate. The guards were alert, but didn't seem especially stiff or concerned as the three of them approached, and both were dressed similar to Ripp.
"Hello!" Kat greeted them cheerfully.
"Sav'aaq," the woman on the right replied. "Welcome to Gerudo town."
"Thanks, it's great to be here!" Kat grinned. "We can come in, right?"
"Of course, all vai are welcome." 'Vai', she had learnt at the bazaar, was what Gerudo called women, and it was another word that didn't translate fully.
"Awesome." Kat grinned. "I can't wait!"
"Wait a moment," the guard on the left said. "The two of you are obviously vai, but what about the person on her back?" She nodded her head toward Ruru and Maomao, who was still covered in a towel.
"Oh, sorry about that," Kat said. "Maomao? We're here, you can get off of Ruru now."
"Huh?" Maomao said, lifting her head, which had slumped down. Even covered and near Ruru's cooling, the heat had been enough to put her into a daze as they traveled. The towel slipped down to her shoulders and she looked around, blinking. "Oh. Great. I hope it's cooler here."
Ruru let Maomao down, and the towel came off, revealing her still dressed in her Gerudo outfit, and very obviously a woman.
The guard on the left relaxed. "Yes, it is much cooler within the walls, there is no need to worry about remaining comfortable while you stay here." She looked at Ruru. "It is impressive that you can cross the desert while carrying another."
"I am well equipped to handle this level of heat," Ruru replied simply.
"Me too!" Kat added before glancing through the gate. "Though I'd rather not stand out here for too long…"
"Of course," the guard on the right replied. "Enjoy your time here." The two of them stepped out of the way, allowing Kat and her companions to enter the town.
"Thank you!" Kat replied, more excited than ever. She quickly walked through the gate, Ruru and Maomao trailing close behind, and entered into a main square of sorts.
It was a wide path, and stalls lined the walls to her left and right, colorful bounties on display. Two troughs ran down the path, lined with a beautiful blue stone and filled with running water that emanated cool air. People milled about, mostly Gerudo women, but not exclusively so. She saw several Hylian women, which were the people that looked closest to her with the pointed ears.
She also saw a bird woman, who looked much like the bird man in the bazaar but had dark magenta feathers and she had feminine curves to her torso. And more, she saw a member of a new race. She wasn't sure of their gender, but they were tall, wide, and looked not unlike orange humanoid turtles, with a shell on their back that looked like it was made of rock.
"Impressive, no?" a random Gerudo woman said from next to them, watching them with a small amused smile on her face. "Welcome to Gerudo town, the most beautiful city in all of Hyrule."
Kat cast her gaze over the square again, eyes lingering on all the scantily clad women and the complete absence of men. "You can say that again."
She had come to do a job, and she couldn't stay for long, but even so…
She was going to have fun here.
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AN: Kind of a set up chapter, but I felt the difficulties of traveling was important to note. Kat's got a lot of learning to do after all, and this was a good chance to teach her some lessons. It was also a good excuse to examine some of the materials and the buffs they can offer, which will be an important part of making sure Maomao can contribute going forward. I took a few liberties of gameplay vs lore, but nothing that doesn't make at least a little sense imo.
If you're curious about travel times, I booted up Breath of the Wild and walked (the speed with the actual walking animation) the path and measured the in-game time. The times I got from that felt reasonable enough, so I used those as approximations.