Sooga: She will be the ruin of the Yiga.
Kogha: Sooga! Yes! That's perfect! That's what we're gonna name her! Ruin, of the Yiga.
Kogha: Sooga! Yes! That's perfect! That's what we're gonna name her! Ruin, of the Yiga.
A The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild fanfic by socksock.
The Yiga successfully kidnap a young Princess Zelda, Sooga intending to allow Master Kogha the honor of killing her himself. Instead, Kogha decides to adopt her into the clan as his daughter.
Years later, Ruin is effectively head of the Sheikah team that is excavating the Divine Beasts, using her Yiga assistants to manipulate the Sheikah and outright impersonating Purah herself when someone competent needs to be involved. The Yiga are trying to get the Beasts online, but the Sheikah have done a lot of damage. During one bad moment on Vah Rudania, Ruin saves the life of Duchess Aryll, the "replacement" for the dead Princess. She didn't think about it, she just did it, which instantly endears her to Link, Aryll's bodyguard.
The problem is, Link is a knight, and he only knows Ruin as a random Sheikah researcher. And shortly after this event, he draws the Master Sword.
Astor, the "prophet of Ganon," declares that the Yiga need to kill the Hero immediately. However Kogha hates that guy, so he tells Ruin to... entice him to their side instead. Somehow.
Thus begins the tale of Ruin, of the Yiga, and her pranks on the Hylian Champion.
Can be found here.
This fanfic provides examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: The Yiga are still pretty silly, but they know much more about the ancient technology than in canon. They've been maintaining the Divine Beasts for thousands of years, they have their own Sheikah Slates, and they're the ones effectively in charge of the excavation projects due to replacing everyone important when necessary. Note that while Ruin is definitely the most competent Yiga, this was all happening before she arrived on the scene.
- The Cuckoolander Was Right: Khoga spares Zelda because he likes the fire he sees in her eyes, her adorableness, and that she stole some knives to try to stab him. Despite protests from most others, he decides to adopt her. Years later, not only do they have the former princess working for them, but she's one of their most competent and effective assets.
- Even Evil Has Loved Ones: Khoga and Sooga might be blatantly evil and trying to arrange the downfall of civilization via Calamity, but both of them love Ruin and Ruin loves them both.
- Even Evil Has Standards: No one likes Astor. In addition to just being an annoying person in general, the Yiga aren't impressed with how he willingly sacrificed all his friends for power.
- The Guards Must Be Crazy: It's not just ancient tech that the Sheikah can't seem to make work, it's defending themselves. Link interrogates three guards as to their standard patrols, and not only does he get multiple answers, none of them would work and one admits to using the time to catch up on reading. This is while they have the Duchess, one of the most important people in the kingdom, under their watch. Ruin is able to basically walk in and impersonate important individuals with no difficulty.
- Honey Trap: Subverted. Khoga suggests that Ruin try to get Link on her side, and when Ruin and Sooga get upset at the thought that he's asking her to perform this trope, Khoga is horrified. In truth, he wants her to try to convince the Hero to join them, but in a way more similar to a corporate headhunter.Sooga: [dangerously calm] You want Ruin to seduce the Hylian Champion?
Kogha: WHAT!? No! Not my sweet, precious baby! No, what's wrong with you? [to Ruin] Baby, if he touches you, you kill him. Go for the guts. You're too good for him.
Ruin: [dazed] Thank you, papa.
Kogha: I'm not telling you to seduce him. Just entice him. Be friendly. Let him know things are good here. That's all I'm saying. - Inadequate Inheritor: Poor Aryll has it even worse than Zelda did in canon. She was apparently tapped as the replacement Princess due to being the closest to the bloodline, but there is no indication that there is any chance she can awaken the divine sealing power. She clearly knows it, too.
- Mole in Charge: The Sheikah are so incompetent with the ancient technology that Ruin eventually gives up and starts impersonating researchers, including Purah herself, in order to keep the Divine Beasts in somewhat working order. This is surprisingly easy, because the Sheikah don't keep track of where their people are.(As free advice: if someone tells you to keep a secret "even from me," it means they are a Yiga spy.)
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Link realizes that something's different about Ruin (thought he doesn't know her name) since Yiga, according to the General he reports to, like to be noticed and would leave traces behind which could be found. Ruin manages to infiltrate Hyrule Castle twice, causing Link to initiate a castle-wide search two times, finding nothing either time. Also, she doesn't attack and kill anyone.
- Platonic Co-Parenting: Ruin loves both Sooga and Khoga, and considers both her fathers. She calls Sooga "Dad" and Khoga "Papa."
- Ragnarök Proofing: Subverted; unlike in canon, the Sheikah tech would have rotted away in ten thousand years if not for the Yiga secretly maintaining them for millennia. The Yiga aren't happy when the Sheikah dig them up and immediately start screwing with everything.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Khoga is the Red, and is wildly passionate. He comes up with embarassing nicknames for Ruin and is driven by ambition and takes wild risks for greater reward. Sooga is the blue, and taught Ruin everything she knows about being a Yiga.
- Spoiled Brat: Most people treat Aryll like this, a brat with a big head who isn't trying hard enough to awaken the divine power to save the world because she'd rather screw around and have fun. Link is the only one close enough to realize that while she is genuinely trying, she's also clearly aware that she doesn't have much chance of succeeding. Combined with her young age, she gets distracted easily.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: The Yiga are technically working with Astor. Except Astor blatantly thinks he's in charge while the Yiga are incompetent idiots, so neither side actually likes the other. Kogha decides not to kill Link largely because Astor told him to kill Link, which kicks off most of the plot.
