Idri had been gone more often than not these days. The only one who really noticed her absence was too stuck in his own problems to do anything about it which gave her ample time with her preferred companion. She was running away from the clan every night to be with Smaude. And, as she was with her partner and feeling loved, she decided she was losing faith in the clan.

Kohga didn't appreciate any of them and his dismissal of Sooga only proved that to her. It didn't feel right. She hated that he commanded them all with all their adoration and he was such an ass to them all. Idri couldn't stand it. A simple acknowledgement of all they've done for him was all she needed.

Staring out to the bright moon in the star dusted sky, her hands resting on the stone wall in front of her, she realized how hard it would be to convince Sooga how bad the clan is for them both. Idri sighed, catching Smaude's attention and bringing her to the stone wall with the short Sheikah. Smaude leaned down and placed a small kiss on Idri's cheek, wrapping her muscular arms around her.

"Is everything alright?" She hummed.

"Yeah, I… I was just thinking." Idri said, clearing her throat a little. Smaude hugged Idri slightly, a dissatisfied noise escaping her before she pulled back and turned Idri to face her. She had a look on her face that Idri didn't recognize. She cupped Idri's cheek and knelt down slightly.

"You should stop hiding things from me, Idri."

The Sheikah stiffened and looked away. Maybe it was time she stopped lying to her? She placed a hand on Smaude's but kept her eyes down on the floor. It was hard to muster the courage to admit anything to her. Every time she thought of the words, she worried about how Smaude might react and knowing she was a guard made Idri shake like a leaf.

"Y-you won't… I don't think you'd like hearing it." Idri whined.

"It's okay. Try me."

"I'm…" Idri only felt worse, but she mustered all the strength she had to finally take a deep breath and spit it out, "I'm in the Yiga clan."

The air was still for a moment and Idri's body was incredibly stiff as she awaited Smaude's reaction. The Gerudo woman seemed to be contemplating the information she was given. She pulled away from Idri and she had a conflicted knitting of her brows. Smaude rubbed her arm and looked past Idri at the starry sky over the desert. There was a lot she needed to think about.

"I…" Smaude scratched her neck and sighed, "I think you should leave."

"Smaude?"

"You need to leave."

"T-this is-! Being in the clan doesn't change how I feel about you, Smaude. We don't have to be restricted by our people, you know?" Idri tried to convince her of that, but Smaude shook her head and didn't budge. The Yiga clan had done a lot to harm the Gerudo people. Smaude was too aware of what they would and could do to her home if she herself weren't one of the guards that fended them off.

"Leave, Idri!" There was a crack in her voice and tears welling in her eyes. The love was still there, though strained.

Idri paused, but there was nothing more she could say. She grabbed her few things and used her talisman to vanish in a cloud of smoke, leaving Smaude in her room alone. Idri appeared out in the desert with her bag on her shoulder. Tears stung her eyes as she stared at Gerudo City in the midst of her heart shattering.

If Smaude had broken her tie to Idri, she wouldn't be allowing Idri to leave on her own. Idri knew that. And she knew that being in the clan was a detriment to any relationships, platonic or otherwise, that she might want or have outside of them. She was trapped in their ranks.

If she wasn't she wouldn't need to lie and break their hearts.

She doesn't need the clan. Neither of them do.

The clan prepared for their invasion of Gerudo City. They had the plan to spearhead Master Kohga in his disguise through the city now that the princess was approaching and the chief was still away, distracted by a large army of Yiga. It was the perfect storm and they all knew they had to act on it before they missed their chance.

Sooga was tasked with staying out of sight and ambushing danger if Master Kohga was found out. He knew his job and he had done similar missions hundreds of times before, but his chest weighed heavily and he found it hard to focus. The contraption was delivered to the specialist and he could no longer face Pire. He didn't know why this was so hard on him. Stealing things was nothing to him. But… this felt different.

Why was it so different?

The clan marched out to take the place of part of the Gerudo army with Master Kohga leading them in Urbosa's place. Kohga watched them go before heading out to take his place. He wondered while he traveled if Pire was still in Kara or if she was unable to leave with her machine gone. Knowing she might be stranded gave him a small twinge of pain. He wished he could just shake it off and never think about her again.

Before he could go too far, Idri raced up to him and took his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. She had cracks in her mask and she seemed to be upset, her exact expression hidden.

"I-Idri? What are you doing?" He asked, taking her wrists and releasing her grip. She lifted her mask and wiped her eyes, leaving her mask on the top of her head as she turned her sorrow to him.

She explained what happened through sobs and shakes. Sooga was initially furious that she had blown her cover, but as she continued divulging her story he softened. Sooga let her collapse into him and he watched the army charge on to take their place. He could feel how awful this all was only now.

"I hate this! All we do is lie and steal and I don't want it anymore!" She cried, gripping his shirt. He patted her back as she let it out.

"I don't wanna do this anymore! I hate the clan!"

Sooga froze. His loyalty to Master Kohga and the Yiga sparked anger at this outcry, but he couldn't deny that it was becoming hard not to be mad with their situations. Especially her. He looked aside and let Idri finish crying before letting her go.

"I understand… but you can't break your vow to the clan." Sooga muttered.

"So!? Why shouldn't I? Why shouldn't we ?"

"We?"

"You don't think Pire would take kindly to the news, do you? And you stole from her! All because that fat idiot told you to!" Idri was stamping her foot and pointing as she raved. Sooga's rage was building, especially when Pire was mentioned.

"That's enough! If you want to leave, fine. I won't stop you. But don't you dare try to rope me into this. I'm doing my job. I'm protecting my own. I've done nothing but try to protect you. If you broke your heart, that's your own fault and I still will be here to help you, but I am NOT leaving." He argued, refusing to alter his convictions despite the pain it caused his heart. Idri was growing furious. She didn't need this from him. She thought she saw the cracks in him too, but his mask was as solid as ever.

"Is that so?" Idri squinted angrily at him, "what was she then?"

"A distraction. And once we're done with this mission, I'll never think about her again." Sooga declared. Idri shook her head and ripped the mask off her head, throwing it to the sand and deepening the crack in its surface.

"Then you can forget me too." She hissed, turning her back on him. He glared at her and straightened himself, watching her go. He couldn't believe she would walk away from the clan just like that. All over some woman. He clenched his fists and stomped off to his position. He'd put his full focus into his task and leave her to her choice. Though the Yiga way stated any traitor must be dealt with, he couldn't bring himself to do that to Idri.

Through it all, she was still his friend.

Traitor or not.