Work Text:
CHAPTER 1
A MUDDY START.
The clanking of wood always echoed in Kakariko village. Purah's heels clicked against the floor as she paced, thinking deeply.
“Well, Scierra, this is a loaded question.”
Purah hummed in deep thought before her eyes met Scierra's, placing down one of her newer scientific instruments.
“I suppose it could be a challenging subject to study, are you sure?”
Purah added with furrowed brows and tilted her head with curiosity.
“Yes, I'm ready!”
Scierra exclaimed confidently while Purah simply chuckled. “Alright, alright. I trust you to return to the village as soon as possible and come back with some possible answers.” Purah winked as she placed her hand on her hip, the other readjusting her glasses. Robbie walked in with his arms filled with new parts. Purah immediately shifted her attention to the parts and smiled widely before Scierra happily ran off.
By morning, Sierra had her things packed, fully rested, and ready to explore Hyrule. She waved bye to Purah and Robbie before leaving the cozy village Sierra called home. The crunching of the dirt below Sierra's shoes was strangely soothing to her, a smile on her lips as she observed the field around her. Some wild horses stood from afar, the sunny skies dimming slowly. A droplet landed on her head catching her off guard for a moment. Luckily, Riverside Stable was ahead so she decided to jog over.
She panted as she ran into the stable, her clothes slightly wet, but luckily not too much. Sierra sat down on the ground, leaning against a support beam before a shirtless man walked in, a black belt around his waist and some tobi trousers. He looked practically like a ninja but his body said otherwise. He was rather lanky and not too muscular. He sat on the other side of the pole, running a hand through his hair tiredly.
“It's raining bad today, huh?” Scierra commented, catching the guy’s attention with a warm smile. “Oh, uhm, yeah.” He replied sheepishly as his eyes averted from the other. “What's your name?” She spoke politely as she glanced back at him. “Tafaro..” Tafaro glanced back, waiting for her reply curiously. “Scierra.” Her smile was welcoming as the man sat beside her, Scierra moving her bag for the other. “Where are you headed with all that stuff? If you don't mind me asking.” Tafaro suddenly asked with a curious tone. His eyes inspected her outfit with a wary undertone. “Well! Honestly, I'm studying the disappearance of the shrines across Hyrule!” Tafaro’s eyes widened slightly. “The shrines?” “Yeah!”
Tafaro leaned back against the pole, humming in thought. “So you’re researching those little temples…? I never really paid much attention to them…” Even though everyone knows about them, Scierra was practically beaming at the fact the other knew about them as well. They were spread all across Hyrule after all. “Exactly that! And the towers…!” She grinned, leaning uncomfortably close to the man. “They just disappeared without a trace!! They were completely scattered across Hyrule, and now they're all missing… There has to be an explanation! Nothing can just disappear without a trace. That’s not how energy works… It can’t just be destroyed…” Tafaro nudged her away with a cringe. Despite the weird girl in his ear, he hummed in thought. “Well, maybe they were just destroyed by the people who made them. They WERE kind of in the way… But, if you are right, then you have a point. Something that big doesn’t just… Disappear.” Tafaro brainstormed for a moment before his thoughts were dissipated by Scierra’s own voice. “But they can’t just be destroyed in one night… not all across the Hyrule.” Tafaro perked up, a sudden realization hitting him. Scierra was right, there was no way they could just… Be destroyed in one night. There was something much bigger behind this. “...Lookout Landing is North from here… I’m heading there for supplies.”
Scierra stood up before Tafaro followed suit. “Not alone. I… I’m also quite curious. Are you taking recruitments?” Scierra perked up at the question, a wide grin forming on her lips. “Of course we are! You can tag along, we need as much help as possible!” She stood confidently as Tafaro mused. “Whatever, I’m sure this’ll be a pain.” He jested before Scierra tugged him along, walking out from the stable alongside her new colleague. They marched along, the bright sky starting to dim into a soft orange and purple hue. The glowing of Lookout Landing ahead caught Scierra’s attention almost immediately. She grabbed Tafaro’s arm with an almost terrifying amount of strength and pulled him along. “What the-!”
He grunted as Scierra dragged him over to the front gates, passing the guards with smiles. They welcomed her with familiarity as she walked into the fort. “Perfect! Let’s not waste any time here! We gotta get to finding this tech!” She raised her fist confidently before Tafaro sighed. “We can’t go too fast, you don’t know where we’ll end up next, we have to be wary of what we buy.” He scolded while Sierra scoffed. “I’m an independent woman!” She grinned as she marched away before stumbling on a branch, faceplanting right into the dirt.
Tafaro flinched slightly before shrugging, walking away to the blacksmith afar. Scierra huffed as she stood back up, dusting the dirt off of her clothes with a gruff mumble. “Dammit…”
She had a sour look on her face before it instantly faded, her eyes meeting a familiar Rito’s. Her childhood friend, her feathers much like a robin’s but her pallet full of olive green and sage. Scierra beamed happily before pulling her into a big hug. “Acosh! What are you doing down here at lookout landing?” Scierra squealed before Acosh quickly tugged her off. “Hey careful! You just fell in the dirt!” Acosh mused as she dusted off her own clothes. “I should be asking you the same thing, doll! But besides that, I’m down here for some clothes!” Scierra scoffed as she put her hands on her hips sassily. “Wow, and not here to visit your best friend, huh?” Acosh simply chuckled, ruffling Scierra’s hair softly with her warm brown feathers. “You never answered my question, dork.” She smirked as Scierra perked up with sudden interest. She had almost forgotten about the whole sheikah tech thing… “Oh! Yeah! I’m conducting a research team for the disappearances of the shrines across Hyrule.” Scierra spoke in great interest, her eyes sparkling with happiness. It was obvious she was VERY determined. Acosh chuckled with a grin. “So determined… You got a research team?” Acosh questioned, glancing around for any other people who could possibly be assisting her. Scierra smiled as she turned over to the blacksmith, pointing over to Tafaro who seemed to be looking at the different types of arrows. “The shirtless guy??... Are you sure about this? He could be a creep.” Acosh teased. “Or is he your boyfriend?~”
“Ew no! He’s rude! But I need all the help I can get, and he knows how to use a sword… I think.” Scierra rolled her eyes with a scowl. Acosh noticed the tension and her eyes softened, putting her wing on the other’s shoulder reassuringly. “Calm down, doll. I’m just teasing. But did you really recruit him because you THINK he can use a sword? You don’t even know if he CAN?” Acosh asked, practically dumbfounded for the incompetence by Scierra. Scierra flushed with embarrassment. “Of course not…” The Sheikah flushed, her voice a bit quiet at the sudden humiliation. “You definitely did.” The Rito mused before Tafaro approached the pair, Acosh’s smile fading ever so slightly. “So much for ‘not wasting time’.” Tafaro rolled his eyes before noticing Acosh. “And who is this?” He asked in a tone laced with curiosity as he tucked some arrows into his bag.
“Tafaro, meet Acosh! Acosh, meet Tafaro!” Scierra smiled widely, her voice filled with excitement. Acosh laughed at the excitement in her voice, the Rito quickly wrapping an arm around Scierra’s shoulder. “Nice to meet ya!” She greeted, holding out a wing for Tafaro to shake. Tafaro shook her hand firmly in reply. “Nice to meet you as well.” He said sheepishly, but masked it with a stoic tone. Acosh chuckled with a cocky grin before turning to Scierra. “So, mind If I tag along?” She asked with a small smile as Scierra squealed happily. “Of course, Acosh! You can tag along any day! We're actually picking up supplies for our expedition right now…” Scierra glanced around, noticing the shops were prepping to close. She squeaked as she hustled over to the shopkeeper, quickly buying supplies and apologizing profusely for the late order.
After all the supplies were collected, they decided to rest up at Lookout Landing, deciding they didn’t want to explore during night when monsters were usually more hostile.
By morning, the trio headed South-West to the Great Plateau.
“Scierra, are you absolutely, POSITIVELY sure we’re going the right way?” Tafaro asked with a raised brow as Scierra stared into the map with a confident expression. “Of course! I know exactly where we are!” She said as Acosh glanced over Scierra’s shoulder to take a look for herself. “But that map says we passed a tower. The only one we’ve seen so far is the one at Lookout Landing.” Acosh spoke, her feathers pointing at the illustration of the tower on the map. “Yeah, this map is a bit outdated. Those are the old towers, the ones that disappeared! The next tower should be riiiight…” Scierra hummed as she finally found the spot where the presumed skyview tower was, pointing to an empty spot on the land close to the Great Plateau. “Here! Yeah! This is the one Purah and Robbie built!” Acosh huffed at Scierra’s arrogance. “The map is outdated? Seriously? How are we going to find anything!” Tafaro blinked dumbfoundedly. “Who is Purah and Robbie??” He asked, leaning over Scierra’s shoulder as well before she nudged the two away. “That’s besides the point. We're super close to the Great Plateau!” She smiled excitedly as Acosh still was mumbling to herself in her own thoughts. “I swear there was one just back there…” Scierra ran in front of the pair with a wide, ear to ear, grin. “See! I was right!” She squealed as Acosh raised her brows, slightly surprised that Scierra actually knew where she was.
They gradually passed the tower, Scierra pointed at the walls of the Great Plateau with awe. “Guys! Look!!” She grinned happily as the sun peeked over the large walls. “Wow, those are some tall walls.” Tafaro commented before Acosh flapped her wings. “I’ll look for an opening!” Acosh smiled as she took flight and began parascoping the area. Scierra and Tafaro watched from below curiously, but Tafaro seemed more anxious. “Something wrong?” Scierra spoke with an edge of concern. “W-what? Of course not! I don't get scared.” He spoke almost a bit too defensively while Scierra began to giggle. “Pfft- Yeah, right! Why are ya so anxious?” She asked with a smirk before Tafaro flushed deeply. “I’m not…” Scierra raised her brows before he spoke up in a shy voice “I just… I don’t like heights…” He muttered as Scierra chuckled “Don’t worry Tafaro! I promise it won't be that bad up there!” Scierra reassured Tafaro gently before Acosh squawked. “Guys! I found an opening!” She called out before swooping down to the pair, landing with ease.
Scierra smiled happily. “Well then… Lead the way Acosh! We’re right behind you!!” Acosh chuckled before leading the pair over to an entrance. The surrounding area was muddy and slippery, as if it had just rained. Scierra hummed as she rubbed her chin in thought. She then stepped through the mud, her boots sinking in slightly but not all of the way.
“Scierra! Be careful!”
Acosh warned as she spread her wings, hovering up slightly and lifting Tafaro with her talons and flying him over to the other side of the mud.
“You could’ve just asked, doll! I would’ve flown ya over.”
Acosh dropped Tafaro gently onto the dirt below, huffing softly as he folded his arms.
“Don’t worry! I’ve got this!!”
Scierra announced confidently as she stepped through the mud. She pulled herself through the mud, Tafaro and Acosh staring in boredom.
“Come on, we’re wasting time."
Tafaro gently scolded before the trio walked up The Great Plateau.