Chapter 24: Pequeña Ave

Trevor went on to break down the wall of ice that trapped the Gerudos in the fortress area. When the barricade fell, it crumbled into large white chunks. The Gerudos treated the gargantuan pieces like a slain giant, jabbing the remains with their weapons. Their collective triumphant cry echoed through all the west, or perhaps even Hyrule.

After that final task was done, Nabooru looked at Rebecca. Her face expressed displeasure and Rebecca didn't know why. Then, the thief flitted up a strand of Rebecca's hair and clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, making an annoying tick sound. Nothing seemed to be made of the issue afterwards as night fell.

Early the next day, a hand gently nudged Rebecca awake. It was right before dawn when Rebecca came to and found Nabooru sitting on the edge of her bed.

"We have to do something about your look," she said. "I'm just not fond of it at all."

She grabbed the child by the wrist and swiftly whisked her away to her living quarters. Nabooru lived in a room not unlike the rest of the fortress. It had the same gritty sandstone walls and floor the rest of the fortress had. However, Nabooru furnished the space with stylish rugs, polished wooden seats and sweet scented lamps. Rebecca wished she had visited the room before today.

Rebecca soon realized how much she hated getting her hair styled. Nabooru seemed keen on yanking her fiery mane right out from their roots. Rebecca didn't complain out loud, of course. Both she and Nabooru sat silently in the room. Only the brushstrokes filled the void.

"You need to look like a warrior," said Nabooru, as if she really had to make her point. "You're too wild with all this."

"That's not my fault," Rebecca pointed out. "You put me in this dress. I look like a doll in a store."

"A store?"

"I guess you would call it a market or a shop or something."

"Ah. Like the kinds of places we would steal from in Castletown."

"Yeah, sure. Something like that."

"Well, I don't like how your look regardless. If this is our fault, we're fixing it before...you know."

Rebecca sensed Nabooru's strong aura dropping for a moment. She always had a brave face, the kind of expression Rebecca came to admire herself. Now everything had turned quiet. When the silence went on for too long, Nabooru broke it with a sigh.

"I heard there's trouble at Lake Hylia," she said. "Is that your destination, kid?"

Rebecca nodded while staring at a beautiful silk banner hanging down the right before her. "My best friend is there. So's Trevor's best bud. And some boy who's supposed to save the world. I hear he has a fairy."

"A boy with a fairy…" Nabooru's voice drifted, as if her memory detected something familiar in Rebecca's words. "From the forest?"

"I have no idea. Trevor rambles sometimes. Maybe he's making it all up."

"Probably not. I heard the tales of children who never grow old who live out in the woods with a guardian tree. It's one of many legends in Hyrule. The land brims with them."

"I just know he's a big hero with a sword who's supposed to protect some princess or something."

"An innocent voe child is better than an incompetent voe man."

"I'll agree with that."

Nabooru clutched another handful of Rebecca's hair. An unseen clamp crawled across the strands, gripping the hair as steam wafted from an unseen source. Rebecca almost panicked until she didn't sense any pain and also realized the clamp did not damage her hair. She felt different afterwards and realized Nabooru was straightening her hair. Rebecca relaxed.

"The things children can do," Nabooru continued. "I'm counting five of you who have survived everything this world's thrown at you. I'm glad I'm helping you get ready."

"I hope we can hurry up," Rebecca said. "Trevor hates waiting."

"Do you hate waiting?"

Rebecca was glad she could hide her frown for now. "Take your time."

"Gladly."

Nabooru kept laboring on Rebecca's frizzy mane. "It's typical for a voe to be impatient. He won't let a vai take her time. Every hour, minute and second in time's flow is precious. Women realize this quite well. Men take it for granted and just want everything for themselves."

"Yeah, I kno—OW!" Rebecca was surprised she didn't have a bald spot after Nabooru's latest yank. "Watch it! My hair's the worst."

"That's why I'm taking care of it. If your guardians had done better, we wouldn't have to go through this."

Nabooru smoothed out the hair with her fingers after finishing the straightening process. She placed her tool down and looked for a piece of cloth on a nearby table.

"A woman I looked up to helped me with my hair this way," she said while searching. "I have a bit much to handle myself. Don't you see?" Nabooru gestured at her own mane, which looked far too in control for Rebecca to believe the thief's claim.

"What was the woman like?" Rebecca asked.

Nabooru paused at the table before continuing her search. "She was strong. All of us are, but she set the standard for us to follow. I was under her wing as a protege. She taught me how to survive in the wild, care for the sisters in our fortress and truly live my life. She honestly taught me everything. I loved her like a mother in many ways."

"...Was it Deedra?"

Rebecca didn't know why she asked Nabooru this. There was a flutter in her heart every time a story like this was brought up in her presence. Some parts of life are difficult to explain. For Rebecca, the mention of this thief was one of them.

Nabooru breathed deeply before letting out a sigh. When she turned around, Rebecca saw how glossy her eyes were. Still, the thief sported a smile while holding a purple strand of cloth in hands.

"I...see so much of her spirit in you," she said. "You embody her in more ways than I can even understand. It's...it's so strange. I wish I could tell you more. But...perhaps it's best for me to not ramble." She twirled one of her index fingers in a circle. "Turn around, turn around. I have to tie up the beast on top of your head."

Rebecca obeyed and patiently looked at the silk banner again. She felt her hair moving about like a bird's wing, flapping in the air, torquing itself into a ponytail that flowed down the middle of her back. When Nabooru announced she was done, Rebecca stood up and searched for a mirror. She was happy with the result when Nabooru held it up.

"So," Rebecca asked. "What happened to Deedra?"

Nabooru seemed to hesitate before answering. "She...died in a war ten years ago. I...I don't think I should say more."

"...I can handle it."

"...Alright. There were wounds in her chest. It looked like someone got her with a sword and buried the blade in her heart. She's buried in a place beyond the village, in a safer area of the desert opposite the Haunted Wasteland."

"That's sad."

"It was...it was." Nabooru pondered Rebecca's reflection. "You're a dead ringer for us, kid. Are you sure you're not Gerudo? You definitely look like one to me."

"I'm a girl from Oak Shire."

"You could stay with us, you know. If you wanted. You could wear our clothes, eat our food, drink our water, learn how to properly steal without detection—they'd think you were Sheikah, with the way you would operate in the shadows."

"What's a Sheikah?"

"It's a long story. I'd have to teach many things about Hyrule to you…of couse, I would train you as a thief."

"And watch me put more craters in the sand?"

"Ha! See, you're already ruling the whole damn place."

Rebecca did think about it. The life of a Gerudo sounded hard but glamorous. Within the village alone, she went on a journey and discovered so much about herself. She found out about her powers, built a fast bond with a woman who seemed so much like her, like the woman she wanted to grow up to be. This life would be nice simply because it was all an adventure.

Then, Rebecca thought about her friends. Sheila was waiting for her at Lake Hylia. Her parents probably missed her every day and thought she was dead. It broke her heart to be away from home, away from the only land she had to know. Rebecca had to leave Gerudo. She had to leave Hyrule and return to her friends. When she looked back at Nabooru, she knew she didn't have to say it aloud. Nabooru already saw it in the girl's eyes.

"It was worth a try," Nabooru said. "But I get it. I always did. Your friend...I'm sure she misses you."

"I miss her too," Rebecca said, finally shedding a tear in front of Nabooru. "She...means a lot to me."

"You mean a lot to this woman as well. And she, too, will miss you. She'll miss you very much."

Rebecca wept softly. She blubbered out an apology, but Nabooru didn't care to hear it. There was nothing to say 'sorry' about. Nabooru gathered Rebecca in her arms and let her cry.

"You have no reason to stay," Nabooru admitted. "And that's fine. But...I still want to send you off like you're one of our own. Why don't I give you an outfit worthy of a Gerudo girl? It would be a souvenir for you to cherish."

Rebecca sniffled. "That sounds good." She looked up and managed to smile one more time. "Anything to help me remember you. I'd be happy if you got me anything."

"Um. Sorry."

The Gerudo guard looked down at Trevor with a raised eyebrow. She and another one of her sisters were with Trevor, standing outside the portion of the fortress where Rebecca and Nabooru entered.

"Sorry," the guard repeated. "What for?"

Trevor ran a hand through his hair. "For being a boy."

The guards scoffed before laughing. "At least you're polite," the other guard said. "Not even Ganondorf had such decorum."

Trevor had to say something. He realized the Gerudos didn't like boys or men or anything that wasn't a woman or girl. The least he could do was try to be polite with them, though he was sure they changed their opinion a little with the way he cracked the ice in the well.

"By the way," said the first guard. "It's voe."

Trevor's eyes shifted back and forth in confusion. "What's voe?"

The guard rolled her own eyes. "That's what we call boys."

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"My, even the good ones are dull…I'll never kidnap a mate."

"...What?"

"Don't worry about the last part I just said."

"...When's Rebecca coming out?"

It was like Trevor was always heard. Footsteps emerged from inside the fortress. Nabooru came out first, dressed in her usual pink and white garb. Rebecca followed, slowly stepping out into the open. When Trevor's eyes settled on her, he froze.

She had changed her look. Nabooru seemed to have given her this new outfit—a wardrobe made of a long-sleeve sky blue top laced with gold. Rebecca had faded lavender pants with brown boots and a matching belt with a gold buckle. Her hair was straightened and tied into a ponytail. Rebecca never looked more serious—but the red about her cheeks showed how shy she was with her new looks.

"Hey," Trevor managed to say.

Rebecca brushed a wayward strand of hair aside. "What's up?" she responded casually. "I'm sorry for keeping you waiting."

Trevor shook his head. "It's fine, it's cool. Really. You...look great. Like one of them—which is totally cool, by the way." He gave a thumbs up to Nabooru. "Good job, stealing lady."

"'Nabooru' is fine," said the thief, who withheld a sneer at the slight.

"Gotcha."

"This one's unable to resist a pretty face," Nabooru teased.

Rebecca's blushing became worse after that. She cleared her throat and looked Trevor up and down.

"I like your armor," she pointed out.

Trevor was given the armor after the well was repaired. The Gerudos polished it before his very eyes, making sure it was in good condition. When he said he got it from the Zoras, the women nodded in approval at how it looked.

"The Zoras," one of the Gerudos said. "They seem intelligent enough. Still, I'm sure the vais of their race came up with the artistry. No man could be this creative."

It was one of many times Trevor felt uncomfortable, something he didn't think he'd feel around girls.

"Thanks," said Trevor. "Um...are you ready to go?"

Rebecca nodded. "I can't wait to see Sheila and Jerome. That new friend of yours sounds cool too. Even Nabooru thinks so."

"Maybe you'll like the fairy," said Trevor. "Then, she can start liking me. She thinks I'm annoying."

"Well...sometimes."

"Yeah, I know."

As the guards and Nabooru escorted the children to the valley, a question arose from the new Gerudo leader:

"How are you going to reach Lake Hylia?" Nabooru asked. "It's a bit of a stretch walking around the outskirts between the desert and the field. It'd take a good couple hours on foot."

"Ha! Like we're going to walk." Trevor raised his hands as if they held a treasure. "We have me. I've known how to use water since I was five years old. There's a faster way to do it. Just watch."

The rest of the village followed the group out. When they reached the edge of the valley, Rebecca started realizing what Trevor had in mind.

"Oh," she said. "Nosotros vamos a morir—we're going to die."

Trevor shrugged. "Maybe."

"Definitely. Are you that loco, Trevor? Are you crazy?" Rebecca whirled back to Nabooru. "Say something, won't you?!"

Nabooru raised her hands up. "Control your boyfriend," she said. "I can't convince him of anything at this point. You'll be stuck with him forever."

"He's not—just—I—quit spying on us!"

"It was only that one time," Trevor muttered. "And they didn't see us, we just...weren't good at hiding it…"

"Cállate y haz que suba el agua—Shut up and make the water rise, Trevor. Loco."

"Loco, idiota. What else am I, Rebecca?"

"Lindo."

"What does that mean?"

"Cute. Cállate y haz que suba el agua."

Trevor blushed. "Yeah, gotcha. It's easy...see?"

A geyser of water rose from the valley's depths. Gasps scattered across the crowd of Gerudos. Trevor hoped that they knew at this point that he wasn't demon-possessed but gifted—tailored to make a positive difference in both worlds he knew of. When the geyser settled at the same side of the valley cliffside, Rebecca turned back to both Nabooru and Mira.

"Well…" Rebecca's tears came back and she ran up to both women, hugging them. "Sava so...that's how I say 'thank you,' right?"

"Yep," Nabooru responded, her voice fighting to not be a whisper. "That's correct, kid."

"Be proud of who you are," Mira said. "Great Din, I never thought this would be hard."

Rebecca let go of them both and ran up to Trevor. The children waved at the Gerudos as they helped each other onto the geyser. Then, the geyser slowly descended and that was it. They left. Nabooru's heart broke.

"I truly will miss you," said the thief. "You'll be on my mind, as you were on your mother's. My little bird, the niece I never had. My pequeña ave."