Winds of Desperation - Vaati x Female Reader (BotW AU)

These Things Called 'Humans'

"—because you see, technically, you aren't a Minish anymore. At least, not completely. So, if you wanted to 'repopulate' with someone, be that a Zora, Gerudo, Hylian, or whomever you wish, your race would never be the same again."

The time approached to set out. The group still had time, but Marlene still had some business to attend to.
As for Vaati and [Y/n], they had decided to continue sharing some information underneath some trees a few feet farther from the stable. These things were... sensitive.

"How do you know the Minish have disappeared completely, though?"
It wasn't a question of denial, but rather actual curiosity.

"Well, can't you see? The Minish used to leave gifts for Hylians among the grass and such things, such as rupees and stones, right? Plus, they would also help us with some of our mundane tasks, and those 'pure of heart' were said to have been able to see them as well."

He slowly nodded.

[Y/n] crossed her arms and shook her head before speaking. "Well, they don't exist anymore. It's not limited to receiving their help either. Children can't see them, and very few people even know they ever existed. Or..." she sighed. "Perhaps they still exist out there somewhere, and they have decided to leave this land forever. I would have done the same thing."

There was a long silence between them before Vaati broke the silence.

"What is the story between you and Marlene's children?"

[Y/n] stared into the horizon before breathing deeply and looking down.

"Well now... I guess it was only time before I had to tell you about that..." Her tone was more serious than it had ever been this time... and from now on, being in this together, things would be serious as well.

"Since you've told me so many things about yourself, I suppose it is only fair that I tell you about... me. But I should tell you about what happened between Marlene's children and I first." She sighed, again, and leaned against the tree behind her. She feared that otherwise, she would collapse beneath her own weight.

"Let's see... Marlene was a Hylian who fell in love with the Yiga Leader at the time, around the time I was born, I'd say. Their firstborn was Hizuki, who was set to be the leader of the clan after his father. I've told you about the Yiga before, so I suppose you'd understand why she left the clan to save herself when her daughter, Sakura, was born."

Vaati nodded.

"Well, Hizuki could not leave the clan since he was the heir to its leadership, but Sakura and Marlene could, since they were the wife and daughter of the leader. Others who try to leave the clan are not so lucky, though...
Hizuki and Sakura were still allowed to see each other as they grew up, and Sakura loved her older brother for his strength and... kindness..."

Her eyes narrowed, a bitter look crossing her face.

"No, you know what? I should tell you everything from the beginning." She took another deep breath.

"When I ran away from home, I was kidnapped by the Yiga. Their leader, which would be Hizuki's father, he... he ordered their men to leave me to die in the desert. Apparently I wasn't the sort of girl they were looking for.
So I wandered on my own, on the brink of death, until I collapsed.
It was only thanks to a kind old Gerudo woman that I was able to survive... My Vaba—" she shook her head, "Sorry. In the language of the Gerudo, Vaba means grandmother, which is what she came to be for me... She... became my family. My only family."

"Go on..."

"Right... She nursed me back to health, and she was so patient with me, even when I refused to speak or look at her... She was completely different from my father. I was so small back then, but I remember learning Gerudo proverbs from her, the herbal teas she would make, playing with her sand seal, Patricia... We lived in a small house in the middle of the desert, and even though it was the polar opposite to my previous life of luxury, I was so happy...