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Cutting into the yellow fruit caused the small natural sparks to fly out, followed by the citrus like juice. As the fruit was separated from the peel, Marin made sure to not fully break it apart, leaving a hinge to keep it all together. Taking from her bag a small vile no bigger than a bottle of nail polish.
Undoing the cork cap, she sprinkled its contents into the shock fruit, the herbs and remedies within it causing small electrified sizzles as a pinkish mist formed. The yellow color of the shock fruit shifted to a reddish hue. The sparking subsided in her hands as she closed the fruit shut, taking a firm bite into it as she tends to do with a loud chomp. The dribbling juices running down her chin. It tasted as it always did, a harsh citrus sour sting coating an initial wave of bitter chalk that eventually gave way to a sweeter tang.
That had been the last of her medication supplies, and she smiled as she eagerly thought of her next visit to restock on the materials. Today was the easier part; harvest the shock fruits from the desert itself. A simple task that she enjoyed. It felt fulfilling. Reminding her of being a kid again working on her uncle’s ranch picking apples. Just hotter. And more walking. And the even greater risk of heat stroke. And the occasional monster troupe to fight…she let out a sigh as she unsheathed the large boomerang on her back, hearing the distinct snorts and wails of bokoblins.
She let out a sigh as they charged over the sand dune. She could live without this part of harvesting.
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Wrapping up the individual monster bones and horns and storing them in her bag, she made her way back to the gate of Gerudo Town. With the storms subsided with the reclaiming of Vah Naboris, the sands had been one of her favorite places to explore. She had been staying with the queen for a while since then. At first it was to simply recuperate after her battle with Thunderblight and to learn some medicinal recipes…but that had been months ago now. She still traveled the land for her duty…but every chance she got she would travel back to the desert. Sometimes only leaving for week long expeditions. Returning with new notes, new gems to share with Isha, new techniques to share with the gerudo warriors, and new stories of the land to share with Lady Riju. Her latest tale was about how she unlocked a memory of her past. She had discovered a cave outcropping that…her past self and the princess would use as a hideaway. It was quite beautiful, the falling sand waterfall in front made a beautiful sound that made the cave feel relaxing.
It was nearing twilight, the setting sun casting its last rays of heat over the horizon before the harsh cold night took its place. As she walked through the sand, she could see what looked to be two figures outside the gate. One was a shorter individual with a very large traveling pack, while the other was taller and flailing his arms. She could hear the sound of what is most likely another of the typical scenarios that occur at the gates.
“What do you mean we can’t enter?!? Do you know how long we’ve been traveling!” The taller individual demanded.
“Me and my companion have traveled from Faron to partake in your services and you mean to tell us that we CAN’T?” He yelled. “It's hotter than Death Mountain, goddess be damned. And you are refusing entrance to two men simply BECAUSE we are men?”
“No. We are denying you entrance for the fact that the service you describe is treating my home as a brothel.” Marta spoke, stance still tall with her spear crossing her companions.
“You mean to tell me that you sand women don’t? I’ve heard the stories! You all drink and bath together! Don't you all go out across hyrule looking to lay someone? And when someone like us walts up to make the job easy for you all that's suddenly crude behavior! Really shows how hypocritical you are!” He was a lanky individual, more a tube with arms than a man. Between the both of them they reminded her of those blasted Koroks, minus the masks. The larger and more rotund companion simply nodded along with his compatriot. His large mustache wiggled in the wind under his bright red nose. “If we can’t go in, why not ‘go on your pilgrimage’ and show my buddy and I a good time for our troubles. You can even bring your friend, the more the merrier!” He cackled like a hyena.
As Marin approached, both the guards now clearly in view of her, they lit up with a smile. Marta, the one who had been having to acknowledge the unwanted traveler, used her long spear to brush them both aside as if they were well…koroks.
“If it isn’t our favorite vai!~ About time you got back up! I keep telling you the desert is harsher at night!” Marta laughed and beamed radiantly, waving over the Hylian woman.
“Still wearing that same old set? Why not stop by the new clothing stand, Lolek just started a new series for the solstice and I’m sure she’d enjoy having you model it for her.” The other guard, Babi spoke. Raising her own spear to let Marin through.
Marin, still not used to the compliments, simply signed back to them her appreciation as well as sheepish confirmations that she was being careful. Both guards simply knelt down to her, and wrapped gentle loving one armed hugs to the savior of their home.
“What is the meaning of that?!? Do you see that, Shapiro?” Yelled the rounded man. The tube shaped man simply kicked some sand towards the three of them. “You’re letting HIM in?! What does HE have that me and Walsh don't, huh?” He was now stomping towards them, reaching for Marin’s top collar. “What is he the queen’s personal pet fu-” Before Marin could rip away his hand, both Marta and Babi had already moved. Despite being the champion, both of the Gerudo guards woman had both of the travelers pressed into the sand beneath, the hilt of their spears pressing into their chests with enough force to make them almost sink beneath.
“You have the night to leave these sands. Leave our home and our sisters in peace or I will personally feed you to the Mulduga myself.” Marta hissed.
“She is the Hero of our home. She is OUR sister. If I ever see or hear that your pitiful useless hand even grazes her I will carve off your very skin to dry you in the sun.” Babi spoke with commanding force. The two men shriveled into the size of koroks as they clawed the sand to get away. Falling over themselves as they ran.
As they both turned towards their adopted sister, Marin simply stood there, one hand clenched at her side, the other instinctually grasping for the weapon on her back. Her teeth grit under the veil of the mask, her eyes closed tight as the tears started to well up in them. As Marta turned to make sure the instigators were leaving, Babi went to kneel down to Marin.
“Shhhh…it is okay my dear sister….” She spoke softly, taking a finger to gently wipe away the smaller woman's tears. “It is unbecoming of a woman as you to waste such tears on the likes of them.” As Marin opened her eyes, she released her grip from the hilt of her short sword. Letting a soft hiccup escape her throat as she hugged the taller guard.
“You must be tired, sister…Why not head to the Inn. I’m sure Romah has a wonderful spa set up for you.” Babi spoke softly, ruffling the blonde strands of hair under the vale.
“I have to visit Doctor Asan first. I’ll make sure to stop and say hello to Romah before I leave.” She signed.
With another hug, the guards let her enter the city.
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“You know…the longer you stay in the desert you are more likely to become a Gerudo in more than name, marin.” Doctor Asan spoke as she examined Marin’s body. Her once pale Hylian skin has started to become more and more sun kissed.
“Granted you would be the smallest Gerudo to have existed.”
Marin couldn’t help but giggle at the statement.
“It seems the Gerudo sunflower, soy, Mare essence and the Great Fairy pollen herbs have been working very well with the shock fruit.” She spoke smoothly as Marin sat on the table cross legged, only dressed in a chest wrap and shorts as Doctor Asan examined her muscles. She was an older Hylian, almost as old as Impa. She had actually been Marin’s physician back in Hateno when she was a traveling Doctor back before everything had happened.
“Now have you noticed any other side effects? You are only about 9 months into the process, but that is still time for any adverse reactions to occur.” She spoke with a tone of a grandmother almost.
“Nothing negative. I have noticed the small breast growth…they seem to have slowed down though…” She signed sheepishly. Her breast had slowly started to come in as breast buds, the nipple seeming to be the only growing part.
“I have noticed the smoother skin and it seems my hair is growing a bit more.” She signed, before Doctor Asan took one of her bangs in her fingers, rolling a few of the strands between the finger and thumb, she noticed something.
“Hmm…that is peculiar….”
She gently clipped a few stray strands of Marin’s hair, surprising the younger Hylian. Her face lightly furrowing in anxious anticipation.
As the Doctor took the strands to her Sheika tools to examine it. She made a humming sound of surprise and excitement. “Well…color me surprised. It seems we have stumbled on a unique discovery my dear.”
As she returned to the patient on the table, she held one of Marin’s bangs in her hands. “It seems you may have begun to actually make that statement true! Seems the medicine and your time in the desert has begun to give you a secondary trait from the Gerudo people. Your hair is turning the signature red!”
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“You wanted to see me, Lady Riju?” Marin signed as she was escorted to the throne.
The young queen simply smiled and leaped from her seat to make her way over to Marin. It always amused her knowing the queen of the people was someone no taller than herself, if not shorter. She wrapped her arms around Marin tightly.
“How many times must I tell you, drop the formalities you sand seal head.*
If Marin could, she would have signed a sarcastic response…but decided against it. For now.
“But yes, you are correct.” She said, lightly coughing to put on an air of regality despite her previous remark. “How long have you been staying in my domain?~” She asked, taking Marins hand and walking with her to the steps of the palace.
“Well…its been roughly….gosh almost a year? 9 months i believe…since I started treatment” She signed back to the young queen. Her smile lightly fading to a look of concern.
“I thank you for your hospitality…and I know I have the other divine beast to attend to…If its about my lodging here I leave by the end of the day…” She anxiously signed, biting her cheek in anxious fear and guilt for having taken advantage of the kind gerudo. The anxious voice in her mind racing with all of the (imagined) slights she had done to the villagers, believing herself to be an imposter and imposing on the villages kindness and warmth and…
As if knowing telepathically the frantic storm in the mind of the Hylian, Riju flicked her fingers to her forehead.
“Yeaap!” She yelped.
“Idiot…no….not any of that.” Reassuringly, Riju held Marin’s hands in her own, Marin’s eyes like a puppies looking at the queen. “No. I have met with the members of the city. You have been a welcome visitor. Everyone in the village loves seeing you come and go. But whenever you do leave for expeditions, no matter how long you are gone, you come back.” She smiled as Marin’s cheeks began to flush.
“You have saved my people, you have defended us from attack…and you have helped this oasis prosper like never before. You have taken part in our culture, you have celebrated with us. You have done all of this…” She gestured to the village before them “...despite not being born or raised here.”
Marin could see where this was going. The words from Doctor Asan rang in her mind. “I have decided…to change that.” Riju spoke softly. “From this point on Marin…you are no longer a visitor. You are a proud woman of the Gerudo. And I want you to know that this is ... .and always will be, your home. Even if once the Calamity is defeated…even if you leave to live within the walls of Hyrule castle…Gerudo will always welcome you as a sister.”
Marin felt the tears begin to fall. She could not help but let them fall as her throat cracked a sob as she hugged the queen tightly. Letting the hiccuped sobs out as she felt Lady Riju run her fingers down her back.
Marin had found a family.