It seems Revali is just one of those Rito who can't quite relax, even during times of peace. There must always be a challenge for him to overcome, no matter how trivial. So when he sees that upstart Hylian Link being praised for his appetite, well, whose to say he can't train his appetite as well as his archery?

Something fun I wrote earlier this year, that I'm surprised I never ed to FA! Been kinda thinking about whether or not to do a follow up to this or not; I have quite a few ideas on where to take it, too. I'm usually kinda antsy about writing non-oc characters, but this was a ton of fun! I love writing fun character interactions, and it's been a while since I wrote about more realistic proportions, haha.

I hope you all enjoy! Story is 4k words.Revali’s green eyes were fixated on his bow, the gray-blue Rito unstringing and restringing his weapon as quickly as his feathery fingers would allow. The ability to hastily restring one’s bow was just as vital as nocking an arrow and striking a target for any archer. His bow string had snapped several times during his most recent and greatest battle, and were it not for his incredible reflexes and nimble fingers, he would have been completely out of the fight.

The avian scowled as he accidentally dropped his skulltula-silk string, watching it get carried away into the wind. He was sore, very sore, his hands still shaking days after the war had ended. Revali took this moment to sigh and give himself a small break, gazing over Hyrule Field from his vantage point above the gate. Despite the epic war that was waged here, the courtyard and castle ground looked somewhat serene and peaceful, save for the corpses of Guardians dotting the area. Just last week, Revali felt as though the world was coming to an end, and yet the tranquil sight before him proved that wasn’t the case in the slightest. The air wasn’t filled with the sounds of war cries, or the whirring of arrows, or the incessant beeping of Guardians. Instead, it was the gentle sound of wind blowing through trees. It was quiet. It was peaceful.

Revali reached for his next silk string, ready to arm his large golden bow once again when he heard a voice in the wind. “There you are, Revali! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

Raising a brow, Revali glanced down from his perch to find none other than Princess Zelda herself running towards him, her unmistakable golden hair flowing behind her. The rito perked up. “Is something the matter, Princess?”

“Yes, something’s the matter!” Zelda called back as she approached the archway. “Come down this instant!”

In a flurry of feathers, Revali quickly strung his bow together before leaping off the archway, diving for the princess. He waited until he was mere feet from the ground before pounding his powerful wings, slowing his descent with a mighty gust. Zelda herself had to briefly lift her arm up to cover her face, her snow-white dress fluttering.

All the while, Revali nocked an arrow into his bow before even touching the ground, craning his head left and right. “Where’s the enemy?”

“T-the enemy?” Zelda blinked, looking rather confused for someone bearing the Triforce of Wisdom. “No, that’s not why I’ve come looking for you.”

“Then what is it?” Revali muttered pointedly, trying to keep his frustrations in check.

“We just...wanted you to us, for the banquet.” The princess sheepishly explained, holding her wrists. She let out a soft chuckle. “I suppose I shouldn’t have come rushing after you shouting your name. My apologies for startling you, Revali.”

The rito sighed and undrew his bow, lowering it. “I thought I made it clear I’m not interested in partaking with your festivities. There are much more important matters that require my attention.”

Zelda gave him a doubtful look, which he supposed was warranted; when she came running out, it did look like he was just sitting idly atop the archway. The princess lowered her arms. “Oh, but won’t you at least us for one last meal, then? This may be the last time all of Hyrule’s champions could sit and eat together!”

Revali frowned. “But what if there is any danger?”

“We’re past that now, Revali.” Zelda pleaded, giving the avian a kind smile. “This battle has been a tough one, to say the least. We’ve all lost something important to us, in one way or another. But like all things, it has finally concluded. Calamity Ganon is no more, and Hyrule can-”

“-can enjoy a new age of peace and prosperity, I know I know.” Revali rolled his eyes. “I was there during that speech you gave.”

He was hoping to make the princess huff and pout; it was always humorous watching her try not to throw a tantrum, yet Zelda instead chuckled lightly. “Then you understand that we don’t need to worry, at least for the time being! I have scouts all over the castle in case something goes awry, so until then, won’t you us? And besides,” she giggled again. “I told everyone not to touch anything until I’ve brought you in, and between you and me, I’m not sure how much longer I can keep Daruk away from the food!”

Revali blinked. It just occurred to him he had never heard Zelda laugh before. It was gentle and feminine; he’d almost describe it as cute! During the time he had known her, the princess’s brow was wrinkled with anxiety and doubt. Maybe it was finally time he unwound himself.

The rito carefully unstrung his bow, realizing just how tense the string was, before hoisting it over his back. “Very well, if the others are so desperate for me to grace them with my presence, well, who am I to deny them?”

Zelda beamed as the two of them made their way back into the castle. “As humble as ever, I see.”

“But of course!” Revali scoffed. “No one is more humble than I.”“There he is!”

Revali flinched as he stepped into the dining hall. He was used to having all the attention on him, being the amazingly talented archer he is, but dealing with Daruk’s booming voice in a confined space was something else entirely. Still, he couldn’t stay mad at the goron’s big smiling face. The avian smiled and held up his wings. “Please, save the applause until later.”

He heard a chuckle at the table, looking at the tall, tan woman with scarlet red hair. “Awww, are you sure? Not even a standing ovation?” The woman Revali recognized as Urbosa teased.

Revali sighed. “That can come another time, but I appreciate the enthusiasm.” He knew the Gerudo Chief was just teasing him; he just knew that pretending she was actually being serious was the best way to get under her skin.

Despite trying to maintain his cool, calm demeneur, the rito did feel content seeing everyone together like this. They had grown close during their battles together, just like a family. Sure, they did butt heads from time to time, but what family didn’t have their petty scrabbles. Of course, Revali came out on top of all of these squabbles, simply because he’s superior in every way, but he couldn’t hold it against the others for not recognizing his greatness right away.

Still, he was happy to see the other champions and their counterparts. The big goron Daruk laughing loudly at the exchange while his grandson Yunobo shyly chuckled. Urbosa crossed her muscular arms and smirked while young Riju tried to mimic her elder’s confident pose. Even Mipha mustered a shy wave, the dainty female zorua smiling softly, while her much more bombastic brother waved both arms with great enthusiasm.

Teba was there as well, the white-feathered rito perking up in delight to see his mentor approaching (as he should be). He quickly stood up and pulled out Revali’s chair for him. “I’m grateful you’ve decided to us, master!”

Revali offered a smirk as he took his seat. “I couldn’t let you have all the fun, now.” His smirk lessened into a gentle smile as he saw Zelda take her seat at the end of the table. Everyone was here.

And Link.

That smile dropped immediately. He never got over the fact that Link, this boring, soft-spoken Hylian, managed to be Zelda’s champion and not himself. Hylians were unremarkable by nature, yet this one managed to stand out at just how unremarkable he was. Link hardly ever spoke, and lets himself get pushed around by just about everyone, yet he wields that Master Sword like it’s nothing! Just looking at his smug face made the avian’s blood boil. Why did everyone have to treat him like he was some amazing and gallant hero when it’s that stupid sword doing all the work for him?!

But, the avian didn’t say anything; it’d be exceptionally rude of him to stir up trouble now, after everyone was weary from battle. He was going to take Zelda’s advice and relax. He was here to enjoy himself.

He tore his eyes away from Link to watch as Zelda stood at the end of the table. “Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” The room quieted down, although Daruk needed a few extra moments to stifle his laughter.

The princess cleared her throat. “Now, I’m sure you’re all expecting another lengthy, drawn-out speech praising everyone’s efforts that lead to Calamity Ganon’s defeat, until the food eventually gets cold.”

An awkward silence hung around the room as everyone winced at those words; Daruk in particular looked absolutely mortified. Honestly, Revali wouldn’t have minded some more praise as long as they were directed towards him.

Eventually, Zelda burst into a fit of giggles. “But I would be a horrible ruler if I were to deprive my brave and heroic champions of their victory feast! So as for my feast, I only have this to say: dig in, everyone!”

The hall exploded into cheers as they were finally free to enjoy the bountiful selection before them. Revali himself was no exception, the gray-blue rito quickly reaching for a breakfast pastry. He could smell the food the moment he stepped into the room earlier, but sitting before it just made them all the more delectable. Hyrule Castle’s chefs never failed to disappoint.

And for a brief moment, Revali found himself relaxing. Sure, he would much prefer to eat outdoors rather than deal with the noisy chattering of his team, but seeing everyone’s happy faces was a large improvement over the nervous tension everyone had been under just last week. The raucous laughter, the stories and tales everyone told, it was all an atmosphere that Revali...tolerated. And, to an extent, enjoyed.

Fortunately, Teba was there to make the experience all the more enjoyable, the white-feathered Rito obsessing over his master. “Master Revali, sir, you must try this roasted duck. It’s simply divine!”

Revali smiled and held out his plate, letting his protege fork over a serving for him. “Thank you, Teba.” No sooner did the meat touch his plate did the rito take his fork and knife and carved out a small chunk, bringing it to his yellow beak. He had to suppress a moan as the meaty juices practically exploded from the tender flesh, the taste exemplified by the delicious seasonings coating it. He wasted no time in carving out several more bites for himself, humming with delight.

When he looked up from his half-eaten meal, he saw Urbosa watching him intently, her brow raised. “Now this is interesting. I didn’t know you rito enjoyed duck.”

“Of course we do.” Revali huffed, dabbing a napkin to his beak. “Why wouldn’t we?”

“Well, it’s just…” The Gerudo Chief grabbed at her arm, mildly uncomfortable. “Ducks are birds, and you yourself are...well…”

The avian scoffed. “Comparing us rito to lowly ducks is quite an insult, but I’ll let your ignorance slide today. After all, you’re not confused why the zora are eating fish, are you?” He gestured with a wing towards Sidon and Mipha, the latter of whom was devouring fried Hyrulian Bass quite quickly for such a lithe zora.

Urbosa laughed. “Fair enough! I suppose I never thought of it that way.”

Revali snorted. Honestly, some people. With his mood already declining, Revali forked up another piece of his roasted duck, glancing down the table towards Daruk and his grandson.

“Woaaah, little guy, that’s one heck of an appetite! Count me impressed, gwahaha!”

The rito champion glared at the sight, gripping his fork until it bent in his grasp. Of all the useless and undeserved praise Daruk could be handing out to Link, why did it have to be his appetite?! That ungrateful Hylian looked so pleased with himself with the compliment too, grinning like an idiot while patting his stuffed belly! Sure, there were several empty plates scattered about the table, indicating Link had quite the stomach capacity, but...who cared?! Why was this whelp constantly getting accolades and approval for the dumbest, most menial crap?

Revali couldn’t keep his mouth shut any longer. “That’s nothing! Any warrior worth half their salt could eat just as much in a single sitting!”

The avian felt the others eyes on him as he called out Link, who looked as confused as the other warriors in the room. Daruk, however, simply laughed at Revali’s claims. “I dunno, Revali. The little guy eats like a full grown Goron! He’s actually the first non-Goron I’ve seen actually eat an entire rock roast in one go!”

The avian waved his feathery arms. “Yes, yes, I’m aware of Link’s palette, or lack thereof. I still fail to understand how stomaching a few measly portions of food is enough to warrant any glory.”

“W-well, i-it is a lot,” Yunobo stammered, the younger goron shyly rubbing his wrists. “Why, d-do you think you could eat more?”

“Think? I know I can!” Revali scowled back, causing Yunobo to yelp and look away in fear. Annoying brat. He looked up and pointed a feathery finger at Link. “You! How much have you eaten already?”

Link blinked, the hero still munching on something, from the looks of it. Daruk answered for him. “Six meaty rice balls, a prime meat stew, and a mushroom risotto! Pretty impressive, huh?”

“Hardly!” Revali scoffed. Time to knock this so-called hero down a peg or two. Leaning forward, the avian grabbed at the platter of meaty rice balls, pulling them towards himself. “I’ll show you all how a true warrior eats!”

He had gotten everyone’s attention; all eyes were on the rito. Some bore faces of confusion or skepticism, but Revali didn’t care. It didn’t matter how they looked at him now; only after when he finished putting Link in his place!

The rito had barely taken a bite of the first rice ball when he heard Teba whisper next to him. “Master Revali, I don’t mean to intrude, but you should know that Hylians typically have a larger stomach capacity than us Rito. You’re going into this competition at a severe disadvantage.”

“Don’t you think I don’t know that?” Revali spat back, bits of rice hanging from his beak. “It looks like you’re in just as much a need of a demonstration as the others here why I’m a cut above the rest, even to other Rito!”

The white-feathered Rito’s eyes widened, before nodding and slinking back to his seat. “M-my apologies, Master. Please proceed.”

“Gladly.” Turning back to the matter at hand, Revali continued with his meal, taking large bites out of the meaty rice ball. Hmmf, and they were all so impressed at how gluttonous Link can be. Revali could have just an impression of an appetite if he wanted to! He made sure to prove this by devouring the first rice ball in record time. This would be easy.

By the second rice ball, the Rito was starting to feel somewhat full. To be fair, he did have a slice of roast duck earlier, and it was certainly making itself apparent just how rich and hearty it was. Two rice balls were supposed to be a single serving, after all.

“Impressive!’ Urbosa raised a scarlet eyebrow. “That’s almost half of how much a strong Gerudo warrior eats!”

“Don’t patronize me,” Revali scowled, picking up the next rice ball.

He made sure to hide his uncomfortable expression as he started cramming the third one down his gullet next. Meaty rice balls were so much more filling than they looked. The Rito felt his belt tighten significantly across his abdomen as he ate, his stomach stretching to accommodate so much food. Flying back was going to be a bit of a hassle.

Revali suppressed a groan as he worked on the fourth one next. Reaching down, the avian quickly undid his belt, before sighing blissfully as his stomach surged out a few extra inches. With some proper breathing room, he was able to slowly work down this next morsel, although every bite just compounded the fullness he was feeling. It was safe to say he wasn’t used to eating such copious meals at one time before.

“Please don’t overdo it, Mister Revali,” Mipha whimpered, the zora princess clutching her hands to her chest. “If you’d like, I could try and see if my healing magic could aid your stomach in-”

“I don’t need your help!” The avian growled back. He didn’t mean to be so snappy; Mipha was one of the few he actually got along well with. Revali didn’t want to look weak now, defeated by only a few rice balls. Even if he looked absolutely bloated, despite Link seemingly hardly breaking a sweat after eating twice as much, he would push himself to sur the so-called hero in every way!

The fifth rice ball was, for lack of a better word, excruciating. Just swallowing the meaty rice lumps was a chore in itself, his stomach growing further distended with every gulp. How the heck did Link manage to do this? For a moment, he was considering agreeing with Daruk that the Hylian actually had skill in regards to eating like this.

With one final gulp, that rice ball was devoured. Revali finally let loose that groan he had been saving, which turned into a muffled belch. He felt like an absolute stuffed turkey of a Rito. His hands quickly moved down to rub along his bloated middle, only to blink as he realized his red shirt had actually lifted up, exposing the small rock-hard sphere of feathers. Just breathing in too deep was painful; he was actually really full!

Riju perked up, the young Gerudo smiling at that round belly. “Congrats, Revali! When are you due?”

“I’m not pregnant!” Revali snarled. He didn’t have the energy to explain to the misguided youth that males can’t get pregnant, or that the Rito laid eggs like any other avian. Just snapping back at Riju made him groan; he was in desperate need of a nap!

Soon, Daruk chimed in. “Hey, you still did pretty good, for a Rito I mean. Five out of six meaty rice balls is pretty decent! I’ll take the last one though, if you’re done with it.”

Revali huffed. “Who said...anything about being done?” Slowly, his arm reached for the last remaining rice ball. He gulped nervously; was he really going to eat this one, too?

“You can do it, Master Revali!” Teba cheered him on, the other Rito looking on in awe. Revali had to suppress a chuckle; Teba was sounding a lot like Sidon right now.

Summoning all the willpower he could muster, Revali nibbled through the last meaty rice ball. Each gulp made his stomach gurgle and creak, like a balloon ready to pop at a moment’s notice. Further and further it stretched out, hovering slightly over his lap. The Rito archer closed his eyes as he took those last few bites, hoping he wouldn’t simply explode from the sheer amount of food crammed into his comparatively small stomach.

Thankfully, he didn’t.

A rousing cheer echoed throughout the dining hall as Revali slumped into his seat. He was forced to take quick, shallow breaths, his bloated feathery middle rising and falling rapidly with each breath. He both looked and felt like he swallowed an entire hydromelon whole! His delicate fingers gingerly rubbed along his drum-taut middle, desperate to help relieve any sort of pressure within that round middle. To his dismay, he couldn’t even so much as work up a proper belch; the entirety of his stomach was filled with nothing but food!

“Are you alright, Master Revali?” Teba’s voice sounded so distant, despite the other Rito sitting right next to him.

“I’m...I’m fine. Just *bwurp* fine,” Revali panted. Despite the overwhelming fullness, he couldn’t help but muster a satisfied smirk. Take that, “hero!”

Even Zelda herself looked surprised at the feat. “Impressive work, Revali! You’re certainly as capable of an eater as you are an archer, I see.”

Revali chuckled at the praise, before wincing at the pain that put on his stomach. “I-it’s nothing, princess. Just a...light meal, is all.”

“Is that so?” The blonde tilted her head. “Would you like some prime meat stew, next?”

“H-huh?!” Revali’s eyes widened.

Zelda continued. “And a mushroom risotto? After all, Link had that as well, if I am to believe this is an eating challenge.” She gestured to Link, the skinny Hylian smiling and holding two thumbs up.

Revali slumped further into his seat. He had forgotten all about that…The rest of the feast ed by in a blurr for Revali, who simply tried to prevent himself from ing out in a coma as the others continued eating at a far more modest pace. It wasn’t long before the other occupants started leaving the table one by one after being pleasantly stuffed with food; obviously not as stuffed as the Rito champion, of course. He could barely hear the others bidding him farewell, his gut churning and growling as if he had eaten an entire Lynel.

Eventually, he felt Teba gently tapping his shoulder. “It’s almost evening, Master Revali. We should be returning home soon.”

Revali nodded weakly. “Yes, of course.” Gripping the end of the table and his chair, the stuffed avian slowly hauled himself onto his feet. It was a herculean effort to bow low enough to excuse himself from the princess’s company as he sauntered out.

He was humiliated. It was thanks to his overstuffed middle that he wasn’t angrily stomping off in a fit of rage. Instead he awkwardly waddled off, holding his feathered hands to his exposed belly while he and Teba ed through the hallways, the full avian receiving plenty of strange looks from the royal guard.

His round belly was a sign of defeat. He had lost to Link, and in front of so many people as well. He was furious with himself for being bested by that pathetic runt; he shouldn’t lose to Link at all! He was clearly a better archer than the knight could ever hope to be, and their swordplay was more or less equal; he just couldn’t match Link’s appetite! This would be a night that would haunt the proud Rito forever, he feared.

Soon, Revali felt the cool wind brush against his feathers as they stepped outside into the courtyard. He sighed, slowly stretching his arms out. Flying was going to be a heck of a chore, even with his mastery of the wind, just because he felt ten pounds heavier!

“O-oh, we’re flying, sir?” Teba spoke up, the first time the other rito had said anything on their way out of the castle.

Revali frowned, turning to his student. “Of course we are, Teba. We’re not going to slack off in our training just because the war is over.”

“I-I understand, sir, but…” Teba shyly glanced down. “I was wondering if it would be acceptable to use the Shiekah Slate and teleport directly to Rito Village.”

“Teleport?” Revali blinked. Teba was usually so honest about his training; why would he want to teleport back? Suddenly, the gray-blue Rito ed. “Oh, that’s right. You have a wife and kid.”

Teba nodded. “I’ve been away from them for so long. I’d like to be with them every chance I get; that is, when I’m not training with you, Master Revali.”

“I understand.” Revali found himself smiling. Not out of relief or anything. Of course not. Never. “We’ll have plenty of opportunities to train at Rito village. Give my regards to Saki.”

Teba perked up, beaming. “I-I will, sir! Thank you, sir!”

Revali felt somewhat better after their wholesome exchange. Yet, even as they teleported back to Rito village, even as he waved off his student and waddled home, even as he plopped himself into bed and pulled the covers over himself, his mind swarmed with his recent defeat in Link’s hands.

As well as plans on training himself to never lose an eating contest with the Hyrulian ever again!