#I'm on my hands and knees for link in totk

[soyochii]

<33

[upwards-descent]

Redemption

(Good guy TotK Ganondorf AU)

Link watched the clouds leisurely glide past the Temple of Time. It stood like some stalwart soldier over the floating island, a beacon that made him feel as safe as it did uneasy. His head had been hurting since he came to and as he skidded down the beaten path, he couldn't help but grimace.

"I'm sorry," The ghostly image of Rauru sat nearby, his chin propped up in his palm. It was weird to witness, seeing that it was now Link's own hand. Or was it? He winced as his head throbbed. "I wish I had more answers for you but so much time has flown by. I'm... Mainly passing on messages now."

"I don't even understand what that means, you're being esoteric," Link snapped back but there was no true heat in his words, only pain. His arm hurt, too, and the ping between his bicep and temple felt like his nerves were being juggled around. "Either you do know or you don't know where Zelda is, I don't really care about anything else at this point."

Rauru's melancholy sigh was the only answer he needed.

At least the Constructs were pleasant, the non-hostile ones at least. They reminded Link of the old Guardian technology, when they weren't corrupt with Malice. Sweet Hylia, he'd barely rested across five years and now here he was once more, Hyrule in peril, Zelda lost, and a piece of himself missing.

"There's someone awaiting you at the Temple." Rauru reappeared, an arm slung around a tree.

"Yes, you told me."

"No..." His voice went quiet, eyes narrowing. "Someone else. Someone... Different. Keep your guard up and your wits about you."

Link had half a mind to flip the spectre off but felt it'd be going too far. He was tired, his body ached, and the frustration he felt within himself writhed burning heat in his chest. Instead, he forged onward.

There was in fact someone waiting for him.

He was a large man with long flowing red hair, dressed in garb Link recognized as some Gerudo style. What appeared to be a sword was lain out at his knees and the Hylian understood it was a position of submission, of surrender. Regardless, he unsheathed the weighty stick slung across his back and approached with confidence.

"And who the hell are you?" Link demanded, stopping at the top of the ruined staircase. The air up here was somewhat warm at least, in the light of the sun. "I've been told to watch out which really doesn't give me... A lot..."

His grip tightened and he held his weapon in a more threatening manner. Some spark of recognition tugged a scowl at his lips.

"You look familiar. Like that... Corpse we found under the castle," Link growled. He leveled the stick at the man's head. "Who are you? Answer me before I let action speak instead."

The man looked up at him and the Hylian nearly flinched. Though Link himself rarely wore his emotions openly, simply as an aspect of his personality, he was pretty good at reading other people instead. There was a great sadness on the man's face that drew in his heavy brows and touched at his frown.

"... I am Ganondorf, leader of the Gerudo," His voice wasn't as deep as Link expected given how large he was but he spoke with some degree of command that couldn't be ignored. "I... I only ask you hear my story first. After that, it's your call whether or not to slay me. I wouldn't exactly blame you for lashing out."

"Watch yourself," Rauru stood nearby, probably unseen by the strange Gerudo man. "This man, as I know him, is the greatest threat against Hyrule in our entire history."

Link held back the urge to heave a loud sigh. He was so tired. Still holding up his weapon, he gave a casual sort of flourish to urge his words further.

"Long ago, when the gods were nearer to the ground below," Ganondorf began. He sat up straighter but the sadness never left his eyes. "I was a chosen leader of prophecy. As had been foretold in my people's history, a male Gerudo is born only once every 100 years and is expected to lead. I was... Or at least, I tried to be what my kin deserved," Link questioned if Rauru was visible as the Gerudo seemed to glance forlornly in his vague direction. "I lead with pride and a steady hand. I listened to the complaints, the concerns, and dedicated every bit of energy I had to bettering our situation. The desert can be cruel but... It's our home."

"I've never heard of a male Gerudo," Link interjected, eyes narrowing. "And trust me, I'm closer to them than you'd think."

"The Gerudo... Persist?" The first glimmer of life lit up Ganondorf's eyes. "I see. Unfortunately, it's because of me that the legend is no longer spoken, or at least I can assume," Link watched as a broad hand kneaded at his chest above his heart. "See, there's a second prophecy I have unfortunately found myself tangled in. I can sense it's one that effects you, too."

The Hylian quickly glanced over at Rauru's ghostly image and he had the gall to shrug.

"Oh," Ganondorf's eyes widened. "I can sense the power within you, but you... Do you know of the Triforce?"

"Only because Zelda has a passion for history," Link let down his guard for a moment, brows knitting in confusion. "It's a big artifact, holy light, gifted to humanity by the ancient goddesses or something like that. I've... Seen her use a power that looked incredibly similar before but..."

"These are strange times indeed," Ganondorf muttered before refocusing. "Regardless. I have to assume that she and I and probably you are the three destined champions chosen by the Triforce, and by extension the gods. It's... A whole other history for another day but all you need to know is that the branch that effects me has been corrupted. Before any of our times, when the universe was young, an ancient evil--"

"Listen, if you're pleading for your life right now," Link cut him off by adjusting his stance, holding up his weapon with confidence once more. "I don't think a whole library's worth of storytelling is gonna convince me either way. Can you give me the short version?"

"Yes, of course," Ganondorf seemed bewildered but shook it off and continued. "I've essentially been cursed. That... Corpse was in fact me but it also wasn't me. As I grew into a man and matured, a powerful evil was sewn into my very soul. I was slowly taken over, used like a puppet by the shadows, until only my subconscious was my own. My thoughts, my words, my actions; perverted by this great evil."

Link felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when Rauru pulled an odd expression, like some great revelation was dawning on him.

"Though it was my hand that threatened Hyrule long ago, it wasn't by my will," Ganondorf frowned and huffed. "However, as I was imprisoned for millennia, the powerful magic of the Zonai--"

"Me," Rauru mumbled, as if that made anything clear. "He's... Referring to me."

"--The spell acted like a slow exorcism. That corpse is made of pure evil, mimicking my appearance," The Gerudo laid a hand over his heart in earnest. "I've been cleansed and... Now I have to make things right."

Suddenly, he shifted and Link dared to take a step forward, tightening his grip on the wooden club. Instead, Ganondorf laid his palms flat on the ground and touched his forehead to the pale stone beneath him.

"Spare me, don't, I only ask that you use me so I may pay for my sins," He begged, his voice thick with emotion. "I've watched through eyes clouded by hate, powerless, as innocent people were slain, as the world was torn asunder. Use me and let me correct these wrongs. Use me and we shall prevail to slay the true evil that's been left behind."

[pinkalmondcake]

I love you

Totk Link x reader (oneshot)

Masterlist

╔════ ⭒ ‧͙⁺-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ˚⁺‧͙ ⭒ ════╗

This is just something I wrote a while ago and published on my wattpad and I just noticed that I have 70 followers!! Thank you so much my sweets and I hope you enjoy this lil angsty oneshot I wrote!

╚════ ⭒ ‧͙⁺-ˋˏ ༻✿༺ ˎˊ˚⁺‧͙ ⭒ ════╝

warnings: angst, no comfort

‧͙⁺-ˋˏ I love you ˎˊ˚⁺‧͙

1k+ words

The silence between us was unnerving, his gaze far and lost within his mind. I couldn't help but inwardly sigh, feeling the way my fingers trembled with every touch - his blood soaking my fingers.

I felt the muscles of his forearm tense at the prickling sensation of the needle, but still, he remained silent, staring at the wall of Purah's new lab with a slight furrow of his brow while I could only lower myself, inspecting the newly sewn stitch as my finger slightly grazed it - my throat tightening, "I'm finished." His eyes slowly turned to face me, his emotions swirling inside them, sadness being the most recognizable.

I couldn't help but glance down to his arm, the way his flesh was replaced something that would be nothing but a reminder of the pain he'll always live through - the gloom still swirling inside his heart and now matter how many times he tries to clense himself of the evil, he will never be the same. Neither of us will ever be the same.

I cleared my throat, struggling to swallow the lump that slowly forms within, my eyes finding themselves back to his own, seeing the way they glance at me with a look that would cause my knees to buckle, but this time I won't allow it. Not anymore, not since he left me behind in a village I had no ties to - leaving without a word, leaving whatever we had built over the years without a second thought. And eventually, I grew tired of it of waiting for him to maybe come back to me, to say sorry for the mistake he had made and that he would want nothing more to come back into my arms and stay there forever. But he didn't.

"...Thank you", his voice was quiet, hoarse but soft, his loose strands of golden hair pooling around his shoulders as his eyes filled with guilt and a slither of hope. Hope that it will all be okay in the end...but I know it never will.

I gave him a nod, packing away the medical kit while not even sparing him a glance - even though I could feel him watching me, studying me for a reason I do not want to know. A reason I don't need.

As I walked towards the doors of the messy, paper filled lab, I reached for the cool wooden door handle, pulling it downwards...but only to feel a pair of warm hands slither across my waist, pulling me into the warmth that resides behind me now, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His voice shattered, his lips trembling against the skin of my neck while his grip on my clothes only tightened, "I'm sorry."

His cry was silent, as though he was struggling to keep himself in tact while I could only stand there, numbly, not knowing what to say even though it has been more than a year ago since I last felt the graze of his calloused fingertips against my skin...more than a year ago since he would whisper sweet nothings into my ear whenever we would awake entangled in bed.

And yet, I couldn't bring myself to look at him. His blood staining my fingers while his arms were wrapped around me like I was the last piece of hope he had left.

I closed my eyes at that, my lips tightening against themself in frustration as I turned to face him - breaking away from the grip of his arms, "You have no idea what I went through, a simple sorry will never change that, Link." I slowly spoke, making sure my words were perfectly formed while I stared into his eyes, seeing the way the tears slowly fell from them- my own following soon after, "you left me without a note, without a sorry. You were just gone. Only for me to hear that you were living the time of your at Lookout a few months later while exploring the castle grounds - even having your own little room here. And not once, did you care to think of writing me a letter to explain why you left. And only now - now that I'm forced to clean your wounds once again - you talk to me."

His brow furrowed, his chapped lips frowning as he stood back, "But...but I did send you a letter. I...I did. Even though it was a month later, I sent you one y/n...I missed you and decided to explain myself and why I left you. I took your silence as my answer." I shook my head and gave him a sad smile, "Well, I never got it now did I. Even if I did, it would've only made things worse - knowing you'd never come back for a reason that'll probably eat away inside me for years to come." And with that, I pushed open the door, turning around to stare into his oceanic eyes one last time before hearing it close behind me as the breeze of the late afternoon air slithered across my cheeks, the last words I heard before the door closing being, "I'll fix this, I will."

Because I love you.

[cloudninetonine]

*hands you a mug of coffee, blinks at the wink and nudge and squints while downing my own mug* ... Well I now have One (1) Sleep Deprived Fear and way too many theories. Though I wouldn't want to bother you with them and sleep deprivation won't let me articulate them xD

On another note, hope you're doing good today. And on a scale of one to ten, how concernedly would Player react if I just, took one of my two guitars, and smashed it hard against both Chrono's and Paradox's heads and knees to vibe check them? Out of curiosity (I have a hot pink one as a gag gift and spare, may as well put it to good use), or a heated frying pan? Also an absolute mood on regards to Leon.S.Kennedy.

Something something, Craein and Player piece in the works (I feel bad for Wild's and Twilight's villain doubles, but at the same time not really, go get some fucking therapy before trying to get near the Guide you crazy hyenas doomed by the narrative, also Craein and Player literally just being the spiderman meme for a couple of seconds) along with the Lora two shot because I have no self control (confirming Oh Hellos and Celtic Woman songs will be used). Snippets incoming once I'm less sleep deprived.

Something something, Fairy Instinct moment for the boys can be when Player is wearing green because funnily enough it's actually a color the Fae are very protective off and they can get offended if people they don't approve of wear it, so Hyrule, his shadow and Time just gravitate towards Player even more than normal when they wear green because not only is it a color associated with the heroes but also with the Fae, and some cultures have the medieval custom of braiding flowers in the intended's hair during courtships or of placing flower crowns, so Player just nonchantly braiding flowers into a Link's hair while they frantically and internally PANIC because they can't tell if Player is saying they want something serious or not, honestly the one's most affected would likely be Hyrule and Wild due to the nature of their eras (Downfall and Post Calamity specially, y'all telling me rings wouldn't be rare/expensive make unless someone brought the materials beforehand? Specially promise rings and the sorts if you don't go to the right place? Actually maybe Twilight and Time too, I don't know why I can see that as an Ordonian or Kokiri custom, throw in Dawn on that ring too, Flora not so much because she literally missed years of culture evolution holding the calamity back, she probably still slips into pre Calamity customs), Add in the fact it's basically an unspoken promise and the boys just internally die. Also Player taking a cue from Princess Bride and just saying "As you wish." Whenever they chicken out of actually saying I love you to the Links or Zelda's and the sheer and utter bafflement or confusion, though I feel like some of them might be able to put two and two together.

Anyway, I'll be napping now, see y'all after TOTK probably.

-Just an Awkward and Tired Summertime Musician.

Sum, if Player saw you beat both Paradox and Chrono with your guitar they'd probably just join you via their boots and kick some teeth in- these men will experience no mercy with them IOUFDHFI

Leon Kennedy, once again, could tear my heart out and I would only ask he be gentle with it as it now belonged to him. (God I am so down bad for this man)

Also I'm excited for the fics! That your time tho (By now tho you've probably written a novel 💀💀💀 I'm sorry ya'll)

Also from your idea with the green comes another idea- (Not this isn't canon before anyone asks) Green being a very prestigious and expensive colour to wear due to it's association with the fae (and is often a gift from fairies to Hylians and is why most of the boys wear green) so when other fairies find out about the "Guide's return!" there's just baskets of bejeweled, blessed and such clothes left for Player all in the colour of green.

[flockrest]

this one's to the lovely who dropped an entire essay back @ me in the inbox! i've decided to format the post such that i can answer some portions directly so none of us get confused, hope you don't mind! anything indented is what you sent in, the rest is part of my response :) it's another doozy but we love those, don't we? asflkdj here we go!

Hi, hope you're doing well! I'd been the anon giving you asks more on Revali's personality and his behavior around the Flock and the Flock's reaction (mostly Tulin's) towards him. Also, the 1.6k did not overwhelm me- if anything made me very happy and overall more curious ahahaha. If anything- thank you so much for accepting and taking the time to answer these asks. Can relate to the unhinged feelings over the lonely rito- I could be hours and hours thinking. That gif of the guy with a board behind full of clues and trying to connect the dots- that's currently me.

hello, welcome back! thank you, hope you're having a wonderful time too!! ♡ also gotta thank you again for sending these in, i genuinely get so excited to see things like this in my inbox!! your passion is so great to see! i'm glad you enjoy my answers, and that they make you all the more curious and open to sharing with me ♡ what a huge mood though afklsjdg this stupid bird just has So Much to him

I've re-read your post various times and even tried organizing my thoughts in paper. And there is so much I want to ask... What caught a lot my attention- was how you spoke a bit of Rito village during & after the Calamity; ofc we don't really get a clear picture of the before even with AoC's light but we do get the clearest view of the aftermath of it (ofc 100 years skipped). I do feel (Pre-Calamity) Rito Village had a larger flock(?) compared to the village we get exposed during BoTW/ToTK events. In a way feels the loss of their Champion & Calamity's wrath- made them all realize the importance of that sense of unity.

yes, exactly! you get it! it's a natural outcome from suffering any huge loss...and while it comes from a place of tragedy, i just. really appreciate how homely and cosy rito village feels in both botw and totk because of it — you get that sense of nobody is genuinely uncared for, even link! and this isn't to say that the other peoples of hyrule don't care for their own, it just! hits different with the rito. like you get the impression that everybody interacts with each other everyday! you literally can't go from the top of the village to the bottom without seeing almost every single resident; they're all practically neighbours! they're all, on some level, friends!

this significance on sticking together as a community is especially evident in totk. seriously, it makes me so emo seeing the kids step up to fill in spaces the adults did not mean to leave behind nor expect them to fill :') and their efforts don't go unrecognised, as they shouldn't be, but oh my god. on my hands and knees over how cherished the kids are in this damn flock!! nekk ( MY BELOVED ) puts it best: "they're the saviours of this village."

and like! they're going through extremely hard times with supply scarcities but still find the capacity to be so generous?? there are more things than i expected lying about that you can just grab — that they'll consciously let you grab! i'm going to need these folks to stop having such a huge collective heart fr it's making me feel A Lot 😭

( and in reviewing cutscenes from both botw and aoc in this context, i think we can safely say that their residential population was indeed bigger pre-calamity. there's more background npcs just chilling about in the memory "revali's flap" compared to most post-calamity cutscenes, and aoc literally shows that there are enough rito present for brigades! the reduced numbers we see post-calamity could simply be attributed to more rito travelling beyond their home and even hyrule, but then the calamity would probably be a big reason for that too )

Brings me back to ToTK, where I noticed most adults in a way spoke highly & relied (at least to me) a bit on Tulin's ability to use wind magic- after all it's been a long time since they ever witness it. But also appreciated how Harth's dialogues which he praises the boy's ability but is concerned of how Tulin is taking certain approach (how at first he goes alone) and his overworking state. Even Teba & Saki recognize their son's abilities but as parents are concerned- I am pretty sure while they acknowledge him as a rito warrior, they also want him to continue living his childhood. (Link does too btw- sorry I don't mention them often)

OH, FOR SURE. you are right on many points here; for sure, the adults have come to see tulin as a young rito warrior in his own right and do trust him to contribute in a way they wouldn't ask of the other fledglings; harth makes it clear that even before link had come, sending tulin to investigate the cloud surrounding the stormwind ark was an option they weren't as opposed to as our introduction to the kid made it seem ( and it's not just his wind-gust technique they're so in awe of either! god. he really has worked so hard!! and everybody can see it! 😭😭 ).

with the worry, i believe the nature of it really depends! it's all completely warranted given how tulin's initial views on how "he doesn't need anyone else backing him up" has apparently "gotten him into trouble more times than [harth] can count" ( which is definitely concerning but also. it can't be anything worse than getting his bow stolen and being left with just his talons for defence in the face of a monster, right? because tulin. tulin. that could not have been your turnaround if you've been doing shit like flying straight into frost taluses solo or something sflkjd ) anyway, but it seems for teba and harth, it's more in a we're worried you're actively sabotaging yourself with your recklessness way.

saki had hang-ups about tulin losing his innocence too early in botw ( "he is such a sweet boy," she says, and it never fails to make me collapse on my knees because he so is and the best thing is he never loses that aspect of himself!! ), but does appear to have come to accept that her son's growing up in totk? i unfortunately don't have a screenshot of the line that indicates this, nor do i remember it verbatim, but the vibes i'm getting from her are i'm worried because you have not learnt enough to be as grown up as you insist you are ( which leaves you ill-prepared for the situations you're trying to fly into ).

ofc it all connects to a primary worry for his safety and his tendency to do way more than anyone would ask of him, but i do think they understand, on some level, that trying to completely stop him is ultimately futile and will only make things worse — in that he'll start deliberately pushing them away when he's only leaving them behind for now.

he's a tween! still a child but only ever getting older, and with how important it is to their culture, i imagine being a warrior isn't as mutually exclusive from childhood as it'd be for us. like tulin's an outlier because he's a prodigy who excessively worked himself to that title, but i don't doubt that compulsory education for growing fledglings would involve, among other things, learning how to at least hunt and defend yourself in the wild! so i don't think it's that they're scared of him growing up too fast at that point in totk — because while he's definitely matured more than his peers in some parts, he is very much still experiencing being a child no matter what he argues in many others aflskdj — just more like...they want him to grow up well. properly, for a lack of better words. WHICH INCLUDES NOT OVERWORKING. oh my god with the overworking

( also oh boy. very glad you brought up link! no need to be sorry! i can't say much on him because i'm not a link writer, though i do ramble about his dynamic with tulin, including how he potentially sees himself reflected in him, over here if you're interested! )

But this also sends me off to another "path" makes me think- What if Revali didn't have this type of support? And it made me think how similar were Revali's and Tulin's in some aspects but how different the outcome were for both- it's a bit tragic at least for me.

YES. YES!! THIS IS IT, YOU HIT IT ON THE HEAD!! i've said it before and i'll say it again: tulin and revali are essentially one support system removed from being each other! they share notable parallels!

just. the fact that harth notices the injuries on tulin's wings from pushing himself to the limits. we don't get follow-up dialogue on that, but there's such a high chance that Words are exchanged between them when link leaves them be because we've seen their relationship. we know how harth cares for tulin, we know tulin is loved for more than what he can do and looked out for. now juxtapose that with revali, thrown out of his own tornado, alone in that moment where he picks himself up as well — but way less likely to have anyone say anything about his wing injuries or to even let someone think he has them. [spontaneously combusts]

i would say more on this and why the sages of totk in general act well as foils to the champions of botw, particularly regarding themes, but that really does feel like a post for another time sdflkjd and it is tragic! it is very tragic! revali was doomed by the narrative in more ways than one :')

I remember the diary where he speaks how the town began praising him for his achievements- that type of validation can be good but to an extreme and left unchecked, it can spiral someone into depending of it. And yet at the end of that diary... he still spoke how he need to continue perfecting himself. Something that AoC made me think in more depth was how almost everyone was "chosen" by destiny (or have a unique ability) and carried a title. But when I look at Revali he seems somehow an abstract to them. Even though in his diary such things were not something he cared for- he mostly valued folks by their responses and actions. (Note: Found cute how he appreciated the scarf and gave one to his bow... It really meant a lot to him// Also I do think Revali appreciated all the Champions including Zelda & Link).

YEAH. YEP. and the way he at first speaks about it, how he contradicts himself in tone despite trying to sound so self-assured — "as one would expect" VS the "i...could get used to this." that follows in the same entry — that's the attention and glory he's always wanted! now he's gonna affix it to the meaning of loving and being loved. which he's also going to attach to his abilities and what he can offer, which is deeply connected to his perceived self-worth. and he's going to make sure he'll never run out of ( tbf real and well-earned ) confidence in that self-worth by constantly pushing himself to greater, more impossible heights. i'm going to put this bird in a washing machine.

he's literally just a guy!! it's one of my favourite things about him, he's Just Some Guy in the group of people who were born into wealth; powers; blessings; respect. they all had their trials, but he earned his place among them from the comparative nothing he started out with and he's justifiably proud of this!

i do think he's also insecure about it at first, tbh ( which he reacts to by laying on the conceit even thicker ), even though his belief in hard work being a supreme indicator of one's "true strength" isn't actually shaken. he is genuinely like i more than deserve to be here but he's also like. and there's nothing you can do about it. don't you forget it. don't you forget it. don't you ever forget it. i wouldn't say it mellows out, but the more he gets to see the champions in action ( thus confirming that they are on his level — that he's fit to make a constellation amongst these that've already been mapped ), the less inclined he feels to explicitly remind them.

and oh my god. the things i could say about what the blue scarf likely means to him. it was handcrafted by zelda, hyrule's princess, for him specifically. it's part of a matching set with other big powers of hyrule. titles and uniform do nothing for him, he claims, but isn't this like being told you are one of us? that you have much to offer? it's "meaningless pomp", he says.

it's also still a gift.

the cloth he ties to his bow is the same shade of blue. i should really make another study post speaking about this more in depth, but i've always interpreted it to be a memento the same way teba and saki's feathers on tulin's quiver are! in tulin's time, this might mean, "these people are always with me." in revali's time, on the brink of a calamity, i imagine it might mean, "( if i fall, you who finds me, ) i belonged with these people."

And yet when Teba & Tulin show up- there is this subtle change on him(?) I wished the game had dwelled a bit more on Teba and Revali. Seeing their interactions was always interesting and in a way, Teba seemed to understand the rito champion. While I felt Teba was that friend or even family member(?) that Revali needed in a way or I could be just over reading, ahaha sorry. But sincerely, I always felt Teba & Tulin were that family or friends- that in a way Revali needed and it makes me think so hard on the "What ifs" and "What could have been"...

what i wouldn't have given for more content and interactions between these three as well!! it's especially fascinating to think about it from teba's side — there is so much recontextualising he has to do and does do about revali, because the one he's grown up idolising and hearing Songs about is uh. well, he's certainly there in the revali he meets, but i doubt he's really prepared for things like how painfully young he is.

he handles it very well honestly asfklsdjg i would not have taken to the realisation that my champion is a warrior hardened only by constant work and the battles he throws himself into, and kind of a fucking brat because he's like the 18yo who thinks being 18 is a decade away from being 17, and died distressingly young back in my timeline with the same grace he gives when he says — of the entire wild experience that is aoc — "this has been enlightening".

you are not over-reading, do not be sorry fr!! i do think revali found an opportunity for companionship in teba that he couldn't find anywhere else when he's built relationships and dynamics he can't change because he has an image to uphold! teba already comes with a dire respect for revali, the knowledge that his story does not end nicely, AND HE'S AN ACTUAL DAD. that sort of thing can bleed into your behaviour and the way you process things without meaning to asflkdjgs

THE BIGGEST MOOD!! wow i'm so glad writers ( it's me, i'm writers ) can create literally anything they want and so can explore these what ifs and what could have beens and give a resolution to a story cut short. this is what my the champions survive au is all about, i hope to have you stay long enough to see these things come out of it ♡

As for the Flight Range & Saki's dialogue; I've always been emo about the F.Range specially when you walk in and hear his theme playing in this music box style... it's like part of his soul is also there but that flame that burnt passionately has subdued and waits to pass to torch to the next generation. In ToTK it made me cry- specially when Kaneli comments (when you pick the bow,arrows) how they been collecting dust... But on the bright side, made me happy that even with the damages- they still hold dearly to the place and is currently being used as training grounds for flight. Which... is what Revali wanted for his people for them to reach the sky and break the limits (or that how I interpreted it).

AUGH EXACTLY, YOU GET IT!! 😭 he never gave it his name but it'll always be his! it's the most melancholic we ever get to hear his theme, full of the wistful yearning that was definitely present but more muted in its botw version! it's lost potential. an unsaid goodbye. revali's gone. but it's also grounds for hope, a tiptoeing hello: his legacy lives on still! i will always go fucking feral over the music in these games!!

YES!! YEAH!! [HOLDING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS] he calls his journal "the diary of revali, the rito legend" BUT HE DOES NOT. GIVE THE FLIGHT RANGE LITERALLY MADE FOR HIM HIS NAME. because it was never going to be something solely for him. he loves his people, he was never going to stymie their prospects! this loser is so good at making me infuriatingly sad AUGH

Re-reading Saki's dialogue with the context you given me- hit me like a ton of bricks. Because it was a new pov. When I first read her dialogue, I took it more of a "Remembering our Champion- one we couldn't help" rather than "commemoration of what he couldn't do". But I also remembered how contrasting are Teba and Saki; Teba being a warrior with pride, reckless at times - who admired greatly Revali's feats and aspired once to surpass him. Meanwhile Saki is more calm and is concerned with the concept of engaging battle- nervous about the training her son was exposed to. So, when re-reading her dialogue I take it more of a wife and mother concerned of losing her companion/husband and son to a similar fate to Revali's.

i swear we are on the same wavelength. yes, exactly!

another thing about revali's landing that makes me so, so deliriously emo — it's a physical permanency given without request: in the best way they can afford to grant it. the rito notably have very little tangible representations of themselves. they don't have statues or effigies like the zora or gorons ( and why would they, when they have Songs and the Windlines and are also probably restricted by their morphology ), and revali does not have any family to be likened to. link remembers him through seeing the landing, which was there, a part of rito village, before it was ever deemed revali's. it wasn't made for him. but they gave it to him! and i'm!! [BLUBBERING]

Revali's love for his people and Rito Village- it breaks me. I can understand that sentiment of loving someone or something from a far (?) - Even when challenging W.Blight and listening to his lines (both english and spanish for me), one can hear that hidden sadness. It's hearing someone who wants to go back home. "But even so, it will always be my home." - the entirety of those lines really hit me so hard the first time I've heard them.

I KNOW. I KNOW. [head in hands] a century has passed and he can't fathom it. "there's no one left who would even know me." he sounds so struck by it, in both the original jpn and english audio, i want to wrap him up in a blanket and toast him like a marshmallow! how much of that is grief? how much of that is longing? how much of that is some strange solace, in knowing he's alone but there's nothing he could've done about it this time?

Also, it makes me glad seeing a Tulin who can see the good in Revali- even if the champion can have a bit of a thorn like exterior. I've read some of the threads! They been wonderful and brought me a lot of joy. It makes me happy to see Tulin taking flight and moving forward. When you mention your student-disciple, are you referring to Kido? I know there were two names but I've lost the post with the cups. I would love to hear about them all!

thank you!! it heartens me to know that you've dipped into some of my ic writing too! i hope you'll continue to enjoy your stay here!! ♡♡

SLFKJKSDLG SO I'VE CHANGED IT IN THE POST NOW, but i meant master-disciple! apologies for the confusion!! kido is an original character of mine who would actually rather fall into totori lake than be revali's student alfjsdkg but that's how it be when you're a kid with a complex, turned-less-than-pleasant background with the concept of revali. if you're interested and up for it, please do give his dossier and study tag a peek! this is by no means a request that you do; it's totally fine if you leave him be!

There so many questions and facts, I would love to talk about... but as I scrolled up- I noticed this is becoming a long one. I am so sorry. I'd been trying to simplify and cut a bit ;-; Plus, I know this blog is a multiverse but focused on Tulin and I don't want to bother. So once again, thank you so much for taking your time in answering these asks. If anything if you ever do the academic-paper length study on lonely birb, I'll run over to read it X'D !!! But I'd been enjoying everything of the meta- the studies on rito's culture and behaviour. Also been curious on your views on Kass taking the role of a bard... Yeah, looking forward to keep reading. Thank you once again.

please, never be sorry for giving me your thoughts, no matter how long they end up being!! i mean it! i enjoyed reading through every line, it means a lot to me that you'd take the time and energy to send something of this scale to me ♡ you did not bother and will not bother, i promise! any of my muses are up for discussion, and so are their people in general! i have an itch to talk about these birds at all times, lurkers like you give me a great scratch ♡

one more time, thank you for your kind words!! i'm so happy to know that my thoughts are received this well!!

KASS MY BELOVED. i'm not sure if you've seen my study on what Songs, Songkeepers, and Scriptweavers are, but if you have, then here's some paraphrased disco ramblings on my Thoughts on him! with how important a role he played in keeping and invoking memories of the champions in botw's dlc, i'm of the belief that he's rito village's primary Songkeeper! ahaha, on this note ( and this is more of a fun roleplaying easter egg than anything ): my botw verse is named Song of the Reclamation — i keep the headcanon that kass, specifically, writes this Song after the game's events tucked away with other misc. details that inform how i run things here :)

this is already long enough, so i think i'll end it here asfljkd but feel free to bounce your thoughts off me anytime! this has been an absolute pleasure, looking forward to seeing you in the inbox again whenever you drop by! thank you!! ♡

[zarvasace]

If you want another request, maybe TotK Riju and Link??

Huh this one was unexpected. I could see them having a neat arc. This could be just normal friendship if you want it to be. ~650 words, so I'll put most of it under a cut! TotK spoilers for the Gerudo region but like nothing else.

---

Another training dummy topples over from the force of a thin metal arrow spearing it through the chest. It rolls a little before coming to a stop at the base of a sand-covered ruin. 

"Your aim is still impeccable, Link." Riju steps to the side, posing a little as she swings her swords to summon electricity. A bolt chars the ground with a harsh clap, a noise that Link has gotten very used to. The charred spot is a few meters short of the standing dummy, and Riju sighs. "Mine could use some work."

"That's why we work together." Link goes to retrieve the metal arrow, one of a special set he'd commissioned from the jewelry shop to better conduct Riju's lightning. 

Riju inspects one of her swords with a critical eye. She picks off a piece of sand and flicks it away. "As you say. We make a good team." She turns her eyes to Link, looking troubled. "Can I ask for some advice?" 

Link is a little startled, but nods and leads the way to one of the lower pieces of stone. They're in the Northern Ruins, which are private enough for a little conversation. They probably wouldn't be speaking this frankly in the palace training grounds. 

Once they're settled, Riju leans her elbows on her knees and cups her face with her hands. "I want to change things, but I'm not sure how."

"Change?" Link asks, leaning back on his hands. The sand bites into his palms, but he doesn't mind that so much. 

Riju nods. "Gerudo Town has been full of women and women only for as long as anyone can remember, and long before that. I'm not looking to change it up, not really, but… You know, the only people we've actually had to put in jail the last few decades have been Hylian voe coming to look for their wives or daughters or friends."

Link makes a face. "...and Bozai."

"Yes, there are the troublemakers, too, which is why I can't just open the gates. There's tradition to account for, and safety, and all sorts of things. Even having you wander around makes plenty of people uncomfortable—not that you're unwelcome, of course, we enjoy your company."

"I know," Link says with a smile. He gets it. That's why he's always on his best behavior in Gerudo Town, hardly climbing buildings at all. He also does like the clothes he can get in the shop, too. Going around in those makes him all but invisible in town. 

Riju continues. "I thought about instituting a document that allows voe to get in if they have signatures from a citizen, but then I remembered that many traditionalist women are very strict about not allowing their daughters to interact with voe at all. You remember what a lot of them were like when you showed your real face."

Link nods, thinking. "It's a good idea," he offers. 

"Yes, but it doesn't solve the problem. I'm also nervous about changing anything at all. It isn't easy to go against centuries of tradition."

It is a thorny issue. Link's put his mind to it several times, and he's heard Zelda wonder aloud how to deal with it. He hadn't realized that Riju thinks about it, too, and definitely hadn't known which side of the problem she fell on. He probably should've guessed, though. She's constantly on the lookout for innovation. 

"People are building a lot," Link says slowly after a few minutes of thought. "You could build more, too. Something separate."

Riju frowns, mulling over his words. "You mean, have a street outside of Gerudo Town for visiting voe? I don't want us to become a tourist town… but combining those two ideas…" Her eyes light up, and she turns to Link quickly, her jewelry jingling. "You're a genius, Link. Literally my favorite voe. Come on, let's go back, figure it out!" She jumps up, offers her hand, and pulls Link all the way back to town. 

[bloobluebloo]

Archery was for anyone.

The skill of said person, obviously, varied greatly. It was something Ganondorf was proud of, and while many folks claimed he had advantages for his broad shoulders and muscular form, well, any of the sisters would pose beside him to show off many of the same attributes. Except for some, who took it a step further to throw their brother across the sand to make their point. It was absolutely funnier. He hated having a mouthful of sand, though.

So when the Rito, as a gesture of peace, invited peoples from any region for contest of archery and tastings of different foods, Ganondorf almost forgot to put on his pants before he left the desert. To compete with the Rito! To eat with the folks who loved spicy things as much as his sisters (for entirely different reasons, mind) and celebrate the peace together? It was a dream. He did not go alone, too many were as excited as he.

There were few gorons among the festivities. Archery wasn't their favoured, but a few engineers and artists came to enjoy the event in their own way. There were Hylians, a bit like roaches really, but most of all were the Rito. They had expected Gerudo guests most of all, for they longed to share pieces of their culture. Already they had much in common. Gan delighted that they loved colour as much as the Gerudo, they loved beads and the beauty of their home. They loved entirely different styles of music, designed to resonate with the echoes of the chasm.

Then Gan found that Rito Archery was different after all. They fought with their feet, and even shaped their bows differently for it. They fired arrows from the wing with a range built with only one platform.

"Don't worry, we arranged the festival to center where you can stand." One of them laughed. "Only one outsider has gotten close to how we do things."

Gan whirled to face them. "Who?"

"Oh, I doubt they'll be here. They struggle with crowds. Little hylian fellow, though. About as grounded as a wumbling weed."

"Tumbleweed." Gan muttered. He looked around the crowd anyway. "Magic?"

The rito laughed. "A paraglider! It's... more funny to watch than anything. Hangs by the knees from it to fire upside down. First time he tried it, landed face first into a target. Poor guy."

Gan grimaced. "My knees hurt just thinking about it."

"So did his nose." They laughed. "Had sympathy pain in my beak for hours. Hey, if I see them, I'll introduce you."

Gan agreed.

And a few hours later, the rito returned, Hylian in toe.

It was Link. Who was visibly relieved to see someone he knew instead of a new stranger to meet. He ran up to Gan to grasp his hand in earnest. "You left the city!! Did you get to see any horses on the way up? I know there's a few herds along the way."

"I did!" Gan bent to give the small man a hug. It felt right. "I'm just so glad I didn't see any bears."

"Psh, I'm sure the bears are, too."

The rito laughed, and left them be.

GAN HOW DID YOU NOT FIGURE OUT THAT LINK WOULD BE THE ONE TO DO INSANE FEATS OF ARCHERY This was very cute anon. I love to headcanon that TotK Ganondorf enjoyed learning weapon handling techniques from other tribes in order to create his own unique style, and to see him excited to learn about Rito style archery was nice. Who knows, maybe he will learn to handle a bow with his feet to one up Link a little heheh :P

[theliterarywolf]

Alright, let's compile some spoiler-related asks under a Read More. There's four here so, uh... Plenty of reading

Anonymous asked: Holy shit, Submission-anon here. I was actually considering mentioning how much Zora's domain bothered me in Totk this time around. Glad to see I'm not the only one, and I hope it's fine I add my thoughts on that to my submission about my observations on Yona's character, since I feel it REALLY plays into WHY the entirety of Zora's domain feels a lot less... fun, emotional and personal, like it did in Botw, or even Aoc. Anonymous asked: Zora's domain was my fave in botw 🙃🙃🙃🙃🙃 sounds like it'll be my least fucking fave this time around fuck Anonymous asked: Dorephan deciding Sidon is straight, so he can have a go at Link. I'm only saying one thing: 20 liters. Anonymous asked: The straights are at it again /J But seriously, not going to be "QUEERPHOBIC!HDHUYDB!" Bullshit argument for loz, but I will point out that when someone says "This chick kinda sucks I think link fits better with this other fem character!" You get shitton of support or at least no real backlash, even if she's "only a friend". But if you say "I don't like Yona." even non shipping related, so many people will throw a tantrum and claim it's because "you wanna make link gay, dudes can be friends"

Anon 1: Feel free, anon.

Anon 2: I mean, you'll probably still have fun. I will say that reassembling the Zora Armor was interesting, at least...

Anon 3: First of all, I can't get over 'deciding' because I want anyone who has played through the Zora's Domain portion of TotK to look me in the eyes and deny that it honestly felt like Dorephan was more excited to see Link than Sidon was.

Like, yeah, after the Water Temple when Sidon went down on one knee to present his vow to Link and all, but still...

...Also, you just had to add that cursed tidbit at the end there, huh?

Anon 4: I feel that we have been seeing a more vocal amount of headcanon brainrot with ToTK as of late. Because, yeah, even though me and another anon were joking about Yona being a beard, they were just that: jokes. Some people out there are legitimately trying to cry homophobia because of her introduction and it's just, like I said, Sidon is a Prince (well, now a King but whatever), he is Dorephan's ONLY HEIR because Mipha DIED, he has to get married in order to keep the bloodline going. This isn't hard to understand.

But, also, I want to take a moment to point out the obnoxious level of 'this character is X and if you don't agree you're a bigot' as well as 'why do the alphabet-soup people ALWAYS have to make characters gay or trans?!'

Because I know where the upsurge in all of this came from: that interview that Aonuma gave where he was talking about 'oh, we always develop games with Link being more nonconforming to gender'.

And, of course, that should be taken as Link is more of a slate for the player to project themselves onto, no matter what gender or sexual-orientation, to create a more immersive experience.

But then we ended up with people going 'So, Link is trans then? It's canon, suck it homophobes!' And then legitimate edgelords going 'Link can't be a tranny, stop projecting onto everything!' And then there's that back and forth while rational people in the middle are just trying to live and vibe with 'In my headcanon, Link is a GNC man and Sidon has two hands and I'm happy and not bothering anyone'

So there's what was mentioned above and that animosity leaches over to conversations about Yona (people on both sides thinking that the only reason she's disliked is shipping)

Anyway, I'm just going to stay in my corner, enjoy this game at my slow-to-medium pace... And brace myself for the 'jealous wife'/'fujoshi wife' fics that will inevitably fill up the SidLink tag on AO3 because people forget that polyamory is a thing.

[coffeecat1983]

Stuck Together pt 1 of 2 (TotK one shot, Link/Kohga Out of Character fluff)

  "I cannot believe I'm stuck up here with you of all people!"    Link didn't reply, only glanced at his unlikely companion before looking over the edge of the rocky pillar they were stuck on. They were on a pillar in the middle of a pit in the Depths, and three masses of Gloom Hands oozed and slinked around, occasionally one rising up to stare back with a baleful yellow eye.      "Yeah well, we're stuck here." Link replied. "I'm out of weapons, arrows, and only have a few fire seeds. Not enough to get past those things or the gloom puddles around them."    Master Kohga groaned. "How did I get into this again?" he said, flopping back on the hard stone.      "You jumped me while I was trying to glide over." Link deadpanned. "Thanks for that by the way, you broke my paraglider."     "I was aiming for your neck." Kohga muttered. He looked down at the roaming hands. "Goddess, those things give me the creeps."    Link just hummed in thought. After a while, he spoke. "Why haven't you tried throwing me over the edge, anyway?"    Kohga sighed. "What good would it do? I still couldn't get away from all those things. Figure survival's more likely with you around, as much as I hate to admit it."      "Huh, so it's not because you're sweet on me?"    This made Kohga sit up sharply. "What?! NO! How did you get that idea?!" Link gave him a sly grin, one that oddly sent a tingle up Kohga's spine. "You're so obsessed with killing me, I kinda thought something else was going on."    Kohga groaned. "Goddess, no. Look it's all part of the Yiga clan's plans, okay? Get rid of the hero, be evil, that kind of thing."    Link just hummed again. He heard a soft sound and looking over, realized Kohga had removed his mask. The Yiga leader caught his look.      "What?"      "Nothing, just, I don't think I've seen you without your mask before."      "Lemme guess, you'd rather I keep it on?" he said, shoulders slumping in a familiar rejection.    Link looked away, a faint pink coloring his cheeks. "No, actually. You can keep it off." He admittedly hadn't expected the older man to be so, dare he even think it, good looking.    Then again, I guess technically we're not too different in age, he mused. Kohga let out a soft scoffing laugh. "Heh, I'll take that as a complement. But I'm no princess, I bet."    Link's face grew redder. "She's... not really my type." he muttered. Kohga looked at him, eyebrow raised.      "Really? With the way you stick to her like you do, I thought you were in love or something."    Link turned his back to Kohga, wrapping his arms around his knees. "She's a friend, and I'm expected to stay close to her. Part of the job. I mean when I first started, she hated my guts almost as much as you do. Wasn't until I saved her that she saw me as more than an annoyance. But what can I do? I didn't exactly have a choice in this job."    Kohga picked up his mask again, running a thumb over the painted symbol. "Yeah, I know that feeling. I wasn't really given a choice, either."      "What? But you started the Yiga Clan, right?"    Kohga scoffed again. "Please, all I did was give them a name and a new mission. Everything else has been in place for generations. If I had refused to take over, I would have been killed as a traitor." He stared out over the Depths, into the murky dark. "I, I don't really hate your guts, you know." he finally said. "Again, it's part of the job. An act."    Link turned, looking at him over his shoulder. Giving in, he scooted a little closer. "What would you be doing, if you weren't in the Yiga clan?" he asked. Kohga shrugged.

Continued in part 2...

By "CC"