Waking of Monday, June 17, 2019 (comprised of raw note editings from April 5, 2023 through April 19, 2023 that I really hope sound consistent because I left it alone for too long)
Corruption and Innocence
I sailed down into Kakariko’s thoroughfare to talk with Pikango.
But he had nothing new to say.
I derped around the village.
But nothing had changed.
So....
I....
....went to the interwebs, and asked for a hint.
In the meanwhile I went and killed a couple of Lynels, upgraded some clothes, got another piece of Naydra—I’d been out of hornshard just there—rode my Big Horse around, toyed with looking at different mane-color possibilities on some other horses.... but could never follow through.
When I checked my preferred interwebs channel again, I’d not yet received any help.
Probably just as well.... It was a moment of weakness—I should never have queried there in the first place....
....
I was getting sleepy while I played again.... ugh....
I just.... put the game to bed for the time being.
....
Mmmrmrrmhrmmm consulted.... YouTube?
Why was I flouting such danger?
I made a search and then, just.... just looked at the thumbnails. I wouldn’t watch anything.
....
That shrine was called Lokna Rokee.
One thumbnail had.... a Yiga?
“The Stolen Heirloom”?
So the Yiga were involved....
Maybe I could go on that for now....
This was so cheating....
Ugh, I wanted the last two shrines and I wanted to beat this game....
....
I turned the game back on.
....
Swept the Yiga Hideout. Nothing.
Warped to the Plateau Tower and sailed down to the Shrine of Resurrection.... Why? ....But there was nothing there either.
Traveled from the Dueling Peaks Stable to Kakariko on foot, and fought the first Yiga I saw along the way. Nothing.
....
I wandered up the hill and between the tall stone cliffs and into the village, and.... played with Cottla. First it was a race, then hide-and-seek....
Heh, I remembered. This hide-and-seek game had given me some pretty fitful dreams, a long, long time ago.... the first time I’d played it.
And now after so very, very long, I poked around the village once again, waking up old nightmares I’d forgotten, the terrifying numberlessness of the crevices behind the houses....
And again I couldn’t find Cottla. Not right away at least.
I dipped into Impa’s house for a breath.
Impa and Paya had nothing new to say to me either.
....
Time stood so weary and heavy on my back.
The end was near and I could feel it.
....
I went back outside.
Looked around.
....
Where could I go? Who could I talk to?
....
That patio.... reminded me of.... social types who sit around and talk....
I walked over.
Oh. Koko was there. Cottla’s sister. Using the wok.
Dorian had said Koko was now sort of like a mother to Cottla, ever since their real mother, his wife, had been killed by the Yiga clan.
Koko was cooking again, and.... a red exclamation mark? An undone task? What? But.... I had already cooked with Koko. I distinctly remembered the name of that long ago bygone quest: Koko’s Kitchen. How could I not? It sounded just like Koko’s Kitten.... And I had completed it.
Oh and Cottla was hiding back there! Down in the grass over the far side of the patio! Crouched down in the crack between house and terrace. Gosh she was tiny.
I went over to her and found her—and she delightedly conceded I’d won, and gave me an Amber.
Darling child.
....
But about this new red exclamation point marker on Koko....
“What should Koko make now...” she wondered aloud when I approached her. And then with a jump and a little cheer she decided on a hot buttered apple. “Mother used to make it all the time!”
The ingredients were apple and goat butter, but.... Koko sighed and said she was all out of goat butter.
She lamented that she was a bad daughter who couldn’t do anything right....
Oh dear one....
The positive option I was given to respond with was righteously charming:
“Voilà! Goat butter!”
I fwipped it out of my pockets and handed it over like a Hero.
“Is this... goat butter?!” she perked with a little hop, and her eyes lit up again.
She thanked me and told me to wait just a second—and the screen blacked out while the cooking sound played....
When the world came back, Koko had produced the Hot Buttered Apple. She reveled in the yummy smell and sang praises to its sweet taste before telling me to take some for myself, which I did.
It was a cute little 2-heart dish. :)
“Koko will work hard to get better and better at cooking!” she said. And then—
Cooking with Koko – Complete
Cooking with Koko....?
Not Koko’s Kitchen....
Huh. Were there.... hidden quests?
Why hadn’t I seen that red exclamation mark before? Had I just never been close enough?
Speaking of which.... she didn’t have one now. Maybe I had to—
I left the area, and then came back.
Koko again had a red exclamation mark.
Huh.
When I spoke to her again it was the same story—
“Hmm, what should Koko make now... OH!! Koko will make Father’s favorite! Tough meat-stuffed pumpkin! It’s great for an energy boost.”
—except this time it was called Koko Cuisine.
The ingredients were fortified pumpkin and raw meat, but she was out of raw meat.
And then again, “Koko is a bad daughter who can’t do anything right. Koko will never be like Mother...” She wilted into a sulk.
Child!
“Voilà! Raw meat!”
And at this she lifted her eyes and perked up once more. “Are you sure about this? Really? Thank you so much! Koko means it! Stay right there for a second!”
And a black screen full of cooking noises later....
“Mmm! What a scrumptious smell! Oh, and that savory meat pairs SO well with the sweetness of the pumpkin! This is just how Mother made it! Here, have some! It’s so good!”
And I received some Tough Meat-Stuffed Pumpkin. This one was three hearts and it granted a little defense boost for a time, heh. :)
Koko again asserted that she was going to keep getting better and better, and then.... the Koko Cuisine quest was completed.
....
I went away and came back again.
And again Koko had the mark.
Koko’s Specialty was the quest this time.
“What should Koko make for dessert? OH! Koko will cook a honeyed apple! Mother loved those! It melts in your mouth and is sooo delicious!”
The ingredients: apple.... and courser bee honey.
But “OH, NO!!” Koko wailed. For she was all out of courser bee honey and it was too dangerous for her to go get more. The bees—they attack you when you get too close to their hives.
“Koko wanted to make some for Mother in heaven... But...Koko is a bad daughter who can’t do anything right.”
MY
HEART,
DEAR LITTLE ONE.
“Voilà! Honey!”
I was gonna cry.
Again Koko thanked me a lot, and again she cooked the dish, and again she remembered all about it, but.... her response and reminiscence this time was somewhat more subdued, and.... she wept tears.
“This... This is...” Her eyes fell again. “Koko...remembers... When Koko had a fever, Mother would always cook this just for Koko. When Mother made her special dessert, she always put some of this in it.”
And then a little howl escaped her as her hands came to her face and she cast her sorrow out to the skies—“Waaah! Mother!!”
Oh Child, oh Sweet, Sweet Child....
“Koko...” She wiped her eyes. “Koko...will do her best and try to be as good as you one day! Koko will get better and better! Koko promises!”
And slowly the smile came back to her face as she looked at me again.
“Koko was able to re-create Mother’s dishes! Koko...feels better now!”
And she thanked me with the final dish—Energizing Honeyed Apple. Five hearts and about 135° of extra stamina.
Koko had no more exclamation marks hovering over her after that.
That was good.
Be at ease, Little Friend.
.
.
.
.
Hm.
Maybe it took fulfilling every last quest in Kakariko first....
Like in Gerudo Town....
Oigh, when can I get that orb....
But.... tonight....
Tonight was quite sweet. <3
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