Disclaimer: Arekuzanra does not own The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, its characters, or its components.
This one shot mainly goes through the events of Anju and Kafei's life. From their meeting to after their marriage, meaning that the side quest from Majora's Mask is also here. But this time, instead of just seeing from Link's Point of View, we'll get to see what's going on with Anju and Kafei.
Note: The character by the name of Kyle is actually the Curiosity Shop man. I thought it would be easier to give him a name rather than refer to him as the CS guy the whole time. I also realized, about half way through the one shot that the CS guy is a lot older than Kafei… For the sake of this one shot, he is the same age as him.
Special Thanks to: Karinta, my wonderful beta, for taking this at four in the morning to check for spelling errors and then reading through it for grammatical errors.
EDIT: I was unaware that my page breaks were no longer here, so I've updated it so new page breaks are in proper places for more fluid reading. I apologize for the length of time that they did not exist.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
The Bombers Secret Society of Justice was considered a gang. The five young boys who ran it would meet up in their secret hideout (guarded by a lower member of the group) and most people thought it was to plot the trouble they'd cause. Sure, the boys could be trouble makers at times… But their organization was set on making things better for people around the Clock Town.
Each had a special notebook with names and stickers that they use to track the people that they have already helped or who are in need of help. Each day, they would meet there and determine the people they would help that day.
Their leader was a purple-haired boy by the name of Kafei Dotour. He was the oldest of the boys at age nine. He wore a red bandana on top of his messy purple locks. Despite being Mayor Dotour's son, people still viewed him as a little punk. He didn't mind this, though, because he knew he was helping people out (even if they never found out it was the Bombers who helped them).
Each boy had their own territory around the Clock Town. Kafei's territory was the Laundry Pool. The place was secluded and quiet and he could always watch over the South Clock Town from its entrance. Each day, Kafei would go to the Laundry Pool and watch the various people come down with their baskets full of laundry and wash them. Usually he'd be able to hear some juicy bit of information from housewives coming down to do their family's laundry.
It was raining that day and the boy still went to his spot. Of course, his white and blue shirt and blue shorts were getting soaked, but he didn't care. It got him out of the house, where all that occurred was boring talk and his mother bitching at him. Oh how he despised the woman at times…
However, when he arrived that day, there was something different. Someone was sitting on the bench near the bridge without an umbrella. This struck the boy as odd, considering not many people really went out in the rain unless they had to, and if they did, they had umbrellas. He cautiously walked over and as he got closer, he was able to see that the person was a girl and she looked to be about his age.
"You're stupid for being out here without an umbrella." Those were the first words he spoke to her. The red-haired girl turned to stare up at him with large, sad blue eyes and he immediately regretted saying those words.
"Yeah… But if I stayed home any longer, I would go crazy… Plus, we haven't unpacked everything, so my umbrella's still somewhere in the piles of suitcases…" Her voice was soft and sad. The soaked boy took a seat next to her.
"You new here?" He asked, though it was clear from what she had just said that she must be.
"We moved here from Romani Ranch. I didn't want to come, but Mom said that the Ranch life wasn't going to be my whole life…" She let out a sigh. "But I miss it already. I miss the cows, Max the puppy, the chickens, the horses, and especially Cremia…"
"Cremia?"
"My best friend. She and her little sister, Romani, live at the ranch with their father. We'd been staying there since I was little, but Mom decided she missed town life and decided to move us back to Clock Town…"
"How long have you been here?"
"A few days…" The girl sighed. "It's dreadful here…" She suddenly looked at the boy. "No offence…"
Kafei laughed. "Yeah, it is pretty bad here. Your mom must be a nut job or something." This caused the girl to giggle before she stuck her hand out.
"I'm Anju."
"Kafei Dotour." The boy shook her hand and her eyes widened.
"Dotour? Related to Mayor Dotour?"
"Yup. His one and only son." Kafei shrugged. "Nothing special."
"My grandmother was your father's and my father's teacher when they were little."
"Really?" The purple-haired boy looked surprised. "That's weird." He said with a laugh. Anju joined in on the laughing. Seeing the girl's smile really lit up his day. He would definitely add her to his Bomber's journal.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Entry Number 37: Anju
Girl at the Stock Pot Cafeteria
Mission: Make her smile
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Dear Cremia,
As I expected, life here in Clock Town is horrid… But I guess I can't say that ALL of it is bad… You see, I met someone today! The first person to actually have talked to me since I arrived here. His name is Kafei Dotour. Yes, Dotour! He's the son of the mayor! We met at the Laundry Pool. He's really interesting… Hopefully, he and I will become friends! That would be great!
Of course, he'll never replace you in my heart. Try and visit sometime soon.
Yours,
Anju
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Indeed, Kafei and Anju became pretty good friends. She didn't become an official Bomber, because the Bombers were made up of only boys and they had agreed to stay that way, but she did help Kafei out whenever he had something she could do. Soon, she wasn't so bitter about having to live in the Clock Town. Things could be exciting and she had friends now.
A year had passed since Anju moved to the Clock Town and Cremia had sent a letter saying that she and her sister, Romani, would be coming to town for a week since their father was going back to get a shipment of milk and she had convinced him to let them stay until he went back for the next shipment. This made Anju so very happy because this meant her best girl friend could meet her best guy friend.
The day finally arrived that Cremia would show up. Anju had gotten up extra early and was waiting impatiently near the South Clock Town entrance where the carriage would be arriving. She didn't notice someone slowly sneaking up behind her until they poked her sides and said "Boo", to which she let out a cry and jumped about five feet in the air.
Needless to say, Kafei ended up with a bruised arm, but he was clutching his ribs from how hard he'd been laughing. Anju pouted and glared in his general direction, which caused him to laugh a little harder, though he eventually stopped laughing and merely grinned at her.
"So…did I scare you?"
She hit him again, causing him to laugh.
It was during their exchange that Anju picked up the sound of hooves on pavement and she turned to see the carriage coming inside.
"Anju!" Cremia cried out from where she sat next to her little sister. She waved her arm in a large, excited motion and Anju mimicked the motion. Once the carriage stopped, Cremia hopped off and ran over to hug the other red-head. Kafei stood off to the side, his red eyes gazing at the two girls as he waited for their hug-fest to be over.
Cremia finally looked in his direction. "Oh? And is this the Kafei boy you keep writing about?" She grinned and stuck her hand out. "I'm Cremia!"
Kafei took her hand, shaking it. "And I'm, obviously, Kafei… Nice to meet ya…" He seemed a little shy, to which Anju was a little confused. He usually wasn't this shy around people. She ignored it, though, as she took both their hands.
"Let's go to the Laundry Pool!" She said happily and started dragging them in that direction.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Another two years had passed; Anju and Cremia were thirteen, Kafei was going to turn fourteen. Cremia would come at least once a month to see Anju and Kafei.
As they got older, Anju noticed some weird things. She would notice that Cremia was a little nicer to Kafei than she was to the other kids. She noticed how Kafei would get a little flustered whenever he was around Cremia. She had to wonder if they possibly liked each other… And the thought of that upset the short-haired girl, though she didn't know why.
Kafei's birthday was quickly approaching and Anju was trying to think of something unique to get him. She had been shopping in all the shops in the Clock Town. Nothing seemed to really fit Kafei's personality. She brought this fact up to one of Kafei's friends, Kyle. The boy had large brown curls and brown eyes to match.
"Hm… Have you tried the Curiosity Shop? It's only open from ten pm til six in the morning, but I hear some pretty cool stuff ends up there. Maybe you'll find something there?"
And so, Anju decided she would sneak out of the house one night after her parents went to sleep and she would see what this Curiosity Shop had. She waited patiently in her room, listening for when her parents would shut their door. She waited ten minutes after she heard the door shut and heard her father's soft snoring. This signaled that she could leave.
She grabbed the rope at the end of her bed before she walled over to the door. She opened her door carefully and slipped out into the hallway. She crept to the door that was at the top of the stairs (the one that was always kept unlocked) and snuck out it. It was dangerous to go out that door since it was right in front of her parent's door, but if she tried the door downstairs, she would need the keys (which she didn't have access to at the time).
She walked across the deck and took the rope from her shoulder, tying it off to a strong part of the short fence that bordered the deck. Once she was sure the rope was tied securely, she threw the rest of the rope over the edge until it hit the ground below. She gripped the rope and bit her lip as she moved over the fence and used the rope to slowly slide down. She had to be careful while doing this to avoid rope burn.
Once she was safely on the ground, she breathed a sigh of relief and went through the corridor that led to the South Clock Town, near the Stock Pot Cafeteria. She moved through the silent area and swallowed hard at every sound she made; she felt like she was being so loud! It wasn't long before she made it to the entrance to the West Clock Town.
Kyle had told her that the Curiosity Shop was next to the Trading Post, across from the bank. She felt for her wallet full of rupees at her hip. She gripped it as she walked the dirt path, starting up the sloped street until she came upon the first shop. The Curiosity Shop looked normal enough. Swallowing hard, she rose a pale hand to grab the door knob and open the door, slipping inside and letting the door shut behind her.
The room smelled of heavy incense and she wrinkled her nose as she contemplated just leaving without taking a look around. There were a lot of crates sitting around and she made her way toward counter. She felt a little uneasy at seeing the weird gate protecting the man behind the counter. There was a gap between the bottom of the gate and the top of the counter where people could slip items.
"Welcome." The man said, looking down at her. "Aren't you kind of young to be here?"
"I'm looking for a gift for my friend… I've looked everywhere else and nothing seems right. Another friend directed me here… Can you help me out?" She looked up at him, her blue eyes desperate. The guy must have taken pity on her as he reached under his counter and began to shuffle around.
"I've had a few new stuff come in lately… Let's see…" He took out a few items, but nothing seemed to catch her eye… Until the last item he pulled out.
"Oh! The pendant. Could I see it?"
The man looked at her before pushing the pendant forward for her to look at. She took it in her hands and looked it over. She tried to imagine it around Kafei's neck and smiled as she nodded to herself. She looked at the man.
"How much?"
He seemed to consider the question for a long moment before finally speaking. "Three-hundred rupees."
Anju bit her lip, but set the pendant on the counter as she pulled her wallet from her hip and reached inside. She had about three hundred and fifty or so rupees that she had been saving for quite some time… And there it all went. She set the money on the counter and the man took it, sliding the pendant back toward her.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Miss."
Anju smiled and nodded as she slipped her near empty wallet back into place at her hip and departed from the Curiosity Shop.
She hoped Kafei would like her gift!
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Kafei's birthday arrived two weeks after Anju made the trip to the odd store. Cremia had come to visit for his birthday. His birthday party would be held out in the large area in the East Clock Town since many people were going to attend the birthday of the Mayor's son. Anju, Cremia, and the old Bomber crew helped set up for the party and that evening, the party went on.
Adults stood in groups, sipping at wine and speaking with Mayor Dotour and Madame Aroma. Children ran around, playing random games. Teenagers were hanging in a group over where Kafei was opening up his gifts. He got many nice gifts and Anju was nervous about giving the boy her present.
Cremia bounced forward to the fourteen-year-old and grinned at him as she brought out a bottle of Romani Milk. "Here, I thought you'd like to have some of our famous milk~!" She said. The next thing she did caused Kafei to blush red and Anju to feel tears gather in her eyes.
The ranch girl leaned up and kissed Kafei on the cheek.
"Happy birthday, Kafei!" She said and winked before moving to stand next to Anju. She didn't seem to notice her friend suddenly look down.
Suddenly, Anju didn't quite feel like giving Kafei her gift… But she would. She took a few steps forward while Kafei was still flustered and shoved the box into his hands.
"Happy birthday… I… I have to go…" She lied and turned to push through the crowd of teens so she could escape. She thought about going back to her house, but decided against it. She didn't quite feel like returning home yet… So she decided to escape to the one place she usually went when she needed time to think.
It was stupid, but she went to the Laundry Pool.
She took a seat on the bench near the bridge and let a few tears slip down her cheeks. She had been stupid to even leave… But she just couldn't stand to be around Cremia or Kafei at the present time. She felt it was unfair what Cremia had done… She hadn't spent six months worth of allowance to buy the boy a birthday gift… She just went to her father and got a free bottle of milk.
She sniffled a little, trying to keep her nose from running, and brought a hand to wipe her eyes. She felt so stupid for crying, but the tears wouldn't stop coming. Maybe she should have just gone home…
"Anju…?"
She definitely should have just come home. She swallowed hard and sniffled, wiping her eyes one more time before she looked up at the boy that was approaching her.
"How come you're not at the party…? Won't everyone miss you?" She asked, looking away as he came closer.
"Like I give a crap… How come you left?" His tone sounded hurt and Anju bit her lip, trying to keep from looking at him.
"I… I just wasn't feeling good…"
"You know I can tell when you're lying, idiot."
Anju frowned at the nickname and turned to glare a little at him only to see him looking at her with concerned eyes. Her glare melted away and she looked down.
There was a long silence between them before Kafei finally spoke again.
"I really liked your present… See?" Anju looked up and let out a little gasp when she saw that the boy was wearing the pendant around his neck. "I have no idea where you got it, but it looks really cool. Thanks, Anju." He grinned at her and Anju couldn't help but smile.
He then opened his arms and pulled her into a hug. She leaned into his hold, happily hugging him back as she shut her eyes. She felt a warmth within her chest that she'd never felt before… Maybe… This was what all the girls were talking about when they talked about falling in love…
Maybe she loved Kafei.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
It was raining the day it happened.
Tortus had been ill for quite some time. Anju spent a lot of time staying at home to help run the cafeteria while her mother took care of her father. Anju was a horrible cook and often had to care for her father while her mother took her place. However, they knew the day would be coming soon… And it did.
That afternoon, they closed the cafeteria and stood by the man's bed side while he gave in to the sickness. He passed when the storm began. It was as if the sky was crying for their loss.
The fifteen-year-old girl fled from the room when it happened, unable to stay by the dead man's side. She had to escape and get as far as she could from the cafeteria. She ran through the rain until she came upon the place she always went to when she was upset.
Kafei found her curled up in a ball on the bench, softly sobbing and shaking. He dropped his umbrella to the ground and walked over to the bench, moving her so he could cradle her soaked form in his arms. He placed his chin on top of her head and held her close, rubbing her back and whispering soft words of comfort while she cried into his shirt.
He had known what happened. He had gone to check on the family earlier on and was told that Tortus had passed on and Anju had ran. He knew exactly where she had gone, too… And he knew that she needed him.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Anju's sixteenth birthday came later that year and a small party was held with old friends (Kafei, Cremia, and Kyle). Cremia had brought her a bottle of Romani Milk and a new dress, Kyle had gotten her a stuffed animal, and Kafei had gotten her a bracelet with her name engraved in it.
The four friends were hanging out on the roof of the Milk Bar, chatting about random stuff. Kafei had soon gotten up, saying he would return in a little bit, and walked off toward the entrance to the North Clock Town. Cremia, Kyle, and Anju continued to talk until Cremia stopped while looking back at the area Kafei had disappeared.
"I'm going to go look for him." She announced and stood, heading in the direction he'd left. Anju frowned and looked at Kyle.
"Should we go look, too…?"
Kyle smirked. "What, you worried she's going to get your man?"
Anju flushed red. "Wh-what?"
"I know how you feel about Kafei. It's not that hard to figure out… but I also know how Cremia feels about him… So, I'd be careful about letting her be alone with him for too long."
Anju jumped to her feet and grabbed at her skirt, holding it up as she started to run after her two friends. She could hear Kyle behind her and couldn't help but smile. He was a good friend… She stopped as they came upon the corridor that led to the North Clock Town and slowly crept forward, taking a look around to try and find where the two might be.
She saw the playground and saw Cremia's skirt flutter from behind the slide. She bit her lip and slowly moved toward the slide. She saw the rest of Cremia's skirt and then saw Cremia. She was standing in front of Kafei, who was leaned up against one of the pillars that the kids jumped across to get to the top of the slide. She couldn't really hear them, but she could tell they were talking.
Suddenly, she saw Cremia moved forward. The ranch girl wrapped her arms around Kafei's neck and pulled her face close, pressing her lips to his.
Anju couldn't watch anymore. She turned and she took off running. She ran toward the exit of the North Clock Town that connected with South Clock Town and continued until she came to the Laundry Pool. She was pretty sure they hadn't seen her, so she should be safe here to be by herself and cry. She hugged herself on the bench as she buried her face in her knees.
She had no idea how long she cried, but she could feel a headache coming on and she sniffled to try and keep her nose from running. A few whimpers continued to slip past her lips and she finally rose her head from her knees. She let out a gasp of surprise, though, when she saw Kafei standing a few feet away from her, a look of pain in his eyes.
"K-Kafei… Wh-what are you doing here…?" She asked, her voice breaking a little. She coughed to clear her throat and swallowed hard as she looked down. Kafei took a few steps forward and kneeled down in front of her on the ground, looking up at her.
"How much did you see…?" He asked, his voice gentle. Anju sniffled and felt more tears enter her eyes.
"You two were talking, but I couldn't hear anything… And then I saw you guys kiss and I ran…"
She felt Kafei's hand on her cheek and she forced her eyes to look at him. A small smile slid on his lips as he ran his thumb beneath her eye, brushing away the oncoming tears.
"Then you didn't see me tell her that I couldn't return her feelings because I was in love with someone else…?"
"In love with… someone else…?" Anju's voice was barely above a whisper.
At this, Kafei leaned up and pressed his lips to hers. Her blue eyes widened greatly at the action, but soon let her eyes slide shut and lost herself as she placed her hands on his shoulders and let him take the lead with their mouths. He gently moved his lips against hers and she mimicked the motion.
The kiss was simple and he slowly pulled back, looking up into her eyes. He knew she was inexperienced with kissing. It had been her first kiss.
"I'm in love with you, Anju. I have been for quite some time… I just have been too much of a loser to be to tell you…"
"Oh Kafei…" A smile came to her lips as tears pooled in her eyes again. She leaned forward and kissed him and he placed his hands on the sides of her waist, kissing her back for a moment before pulling back and standing up, holding his hand out to her.
"Let's head back."
She took his hand and he laced his fingers with hers. They walked back to Kyle and Cremia, hand-in-hand.
Cremia was a little bitter at first, but soon warmed up to Anju and Kafei being together. She said they were much better together than she and Kafei ever would have been.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Slowly, the years went by. Soon, almost four years had gone by and Anju's mother had begun to grow frustrated with her daughter's boyfriend. The only thing on the woman's mind was her want for grandchildren. Her daughter was almost twenty years old and the man still hadn't proposed marriage to her.
Anju worked with her mother at the place they had worked since Anju was a child. The Stock Pot Cafeteria had become the Stock Pot Inn and became a hot spot every year durring the Carnival of Time. They were the only Inn in all of Clock Town, so countless numbers of people came, including the performers and artists that would be performing at the festival. That would be happening in about six months.
Kafei had been spending a lot of time with Kyle and other various friends. He had only seen Anju twice in a span of three weeks. Anju wasn't entirely sure what he had been off doing, but she knew that she would be very hurt if he forgot her birthday (which also would make them being a couple for four years). It would be coming up the following week.
Cremia showed up the next week, a few days before Anju's birthday. She found it weird how little of Kafei they had been seeing.
"Do you think he's gotten bored of me? Or maybe he's found a better woman?" Anju asked as she made one of the beds in a room that a couple had just left. Cremia threw a pillow at her.
"Nonsense! There is no better woman out there for Kafei than you. I'd totally kick his ass if he left you!"
Anju merely sighed and tossed the pillow back to her friend, who set it up properly on the bed.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Anju's birthday finally arrived.
It had been about two weeks since she had last seen Kafei and she was worried he had forgotten. Cremia assured her that he would show up and Anju kept telling herself that over and over again in her mind.
Kyle dropped by to give Anju her birthday present. Since he had taken over the Curiosity Shop, he'd been getting some pretty expensive stuff in. He decided, because Anju was one of his best friends, he was going to give her a very beautiful set of diamond earrings. She absolutely loved them. The minute she got them, she went upstairs to clean them and put them in her ears.
Evening soon fell over Termina and Anju was beginning to lose hope. She and Cremia decided to take a walk through the Clock Town in hopes of clearing Anju's mind. They walked and talked about the things that had been going on at the inn and at the ranch over the past couple of weeks. Anju hadn't even noticed that Cremia was leading her toward the Laundry Pool until they were at the top of the stairs.
"Cremia…?"
"Shush and come on." Cremia smiled and pulled at her friend's wrist, urging her to keep walking. Anju was dragged down the dirt path before Cremia stepped back and pushed the short haired girl forward. Anju nearly tripped, but when she looked up, she saw Kafei standing in the middle of the area, looking toward the water where all the housewives washed their clothes.
He turned to look at her and flashed her a smile as he walked over and tilted her chin up, kissing her gently. Anju let him kiss her for a moment before pulling back, tears building up in her eyes.
"Why haven't I seen you…?"
Kafei gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm really sorry, Anju…"
"Sorry doesn't cut it… I've seen you three times in the past six weeks! Did I do something wrong?" Tears were starting to pour freely. Why couldn't she see what was coming next?
"Well… I've been working my ass off in order to get you this…" The purple-haired man fell to one knee and pulled a box out of his pocket, holding it out to her and opening it up to reveal a beautiful diamond ring, one that looked very much like the earrings that Kyle had given her…
It suddenly hit her. Kyle had been in on it… And so had Cremia, from the squeal she could hear behind her. She was hit with a wave of emotion and tears rolled down her cheeks as she fell to her knees in front of her boyfriend and wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
"Oh Kafei…" She sobbed softly. The man smiled and wrapped his arms around her, gently rubbing her back as she cried. It wasn't long before she pulled back to look at him and he brought a hand up to rub his thumb over her cheek.
"Will you marry me, Anju?"
"Of course, Kafei…" And she smiled. "Of course."
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
They had decided on a date for their wedding. They would be married on the first day of the Carnival of Time and would exchange the Sun and Moon masks. Both worked very hard each night before going to bed on their masks, making sure to keep their masks hidden from one another. They would be presented on their wedding day.
Five months passed before trouble hit.
One night, Kafei was saying good night to Anju, as he did every night, and he told her that he would be going out to drink with the guys. She told him to be careful and he kissed her before departing…
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
"Huzzah!"
Another round of milk came to the men and they rose their glasses before taking drinks. They were celebrating Kafei's last month as a free man. He happily drank along with them. He could afford to get smashed one more time before he'd have to really buckle down and get ready for the wedding. The final month would be the hardest since he'd be helping them get ready for the Carnival of Time as well as planning the wedding.
He had also taken this time to show his mask off to the guys. They were quite impressed with his handiwork.
"Well, guys, I think I'mma gonna get goin' now…" The purple-haired man said with a grin as he stood up.
"You wan' me to walk home with ya?" Kyle asked as he took a big gulp of his milk.
"Naawww, you stay here and drink. I'll be fine!" He waved to the others as he stumbled up the stairs and out of the Milk Bar. The door shut behind him and he stumbled about. He was glad his house wasn't very far from the bar.
He didn't seem to notice a child standing off to the side, watching his every move until the child spoke.
"Say, you look like you're having fun. How about playing with me?"
Kafei jumped a little, having not seen the kid before. However, he was quite giddy and not in the proper state of mind. He stumbled toward the kid and gave him a pat on the head.
"No no! This is the adults' time to play. You go home and go to bed!" The twenty-one year old man stumbled away, a goofy grin on his face. "Oh, my beloved Anjuuu~" he said happily to himself.
He didn't seem to notice that the child pointed his finger in Kafei's direction until he felt something hit him. He let out a sharp cry as he felt like his body was on fire. He fell to his knees, gripping his head until the pain went away… But something felt terribly wrong. He slowly opened his eyes and rose to his feet…
He looked himself over and bit his lip to keep from screaming. His eyes were wide with horror as he looked himself over. He ran from his spot, heading straight for the Laundry Pool. It took very little time for him to get there and when he did, he looked at his reflection in the water. He nearly fainted.
He was a child.
"This has to be a dream… This has to be a dream…" he muttered to himself over and over again. A small whimper erupted from his throat as hot tears began to spill from his cheeks. "This has to be a dream… This has to be a dream…"
He remained like this until Kyle came stumbling through the area. Since he had taken the night off from work, he didn't have to go back to work, so he was going to get some sleep. However, the sound of soft crying distracted him and he saw a child by the water.
"Hey, Kid, go on home to your-…Oh my… Kafei?"
Kafei had looked up at Kyle when the man started talking and Kyle had gotten a good look at the boy.
"God, I must be drunk! You look like a little kid!"
"I am a little kid, asshole! Some fucking freaky kid turned me into this and I don't know what to do!"
"Calm down, calm down… We can try to think of something…"
"Calm down…? Kyle… I'M A CHILD!"
Kyle winced. "Not so loud…"
"We have to think of something to turn me back! I can't face Anju looking like this!"
"I know, I know… Um… How about the Great Fairy? She might know of a way."
The Great Fairy in North Clock Town!
Kafei got to his feet and took off running again. He found himself getting a little tired as he past the large Clock Tower, but he couldn't stop running. He had to see the Great Fairy as soon as possible! He entered the North Clock Town and started off toward the Great Fairy's Fountain.
However… Fate hated him very much this evening. As he turned out of the corridor, he ran right into another person.
"S-sorry!" he quickly said, getting up on his feet. He noticed he had dropped his mask and quickly reached down to retrieve it, only for the other man to grab it first. He began to look it over as Kafei attempted to jump and grab it.
"This is a pretty nice mask you got. I wonder how much it would sell for…" The man mused aloud.
"Give it back!" Kafei demanded. This only caused the man to shove Kafei backward onto his ass and take off, prancing away with the mask in hand.
Kafei… was horrified. There was no other way to explain what he was feeling. He felt horror, then numb, then sick… Some freaky kid turned him into a child… A thief just stole the wedding mask he had been working on for the past five months…
Torn and broken, the boy picked himself up off the ground and turned around, not evening bothering to go to the Great Fairy at this point. He returned to the Laundry Pool where Kyle was anxiously waiting. The man noticed the expression on Kafei's face.
"She couldn't help?"
"…I didn't ask…"
"What, why not?"
Kafei fell to his knees and let out a heart-wrenching sob. Kyle went to his friend's aide, kneeling next to him.
"Kafei, buddy, what's wrong?"
"Some… fucking thief… stole my wedding mask…" he managed to say between sobs.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Kafei didn't return to the Stock Pot Inn. He didn't return the first morning, or the second, or the third… By the seventh, Anju was worried sick and Anju's mother, Meliza, was beginning to get quite angry.
"That idiot better not be getting cold feet and leaving you." Meliza growled out as she stirred a large pot of soup in the kitchen. Anju sat at the front desk of the inn, her head on the counter. She figured she would go the Curiosity Shop that night and ask Kyle if he had heard from the purple-haired man.
The hours passed slowly, but night approached and Anju left the inn in her mother's care while she went to the Curiosity Shop. She entered the door and looked around. She remembered the first time she had been to the shop, back when it had a different owner… It had been so long ago…
"Welcome to- Oh! Anju, what brings you here?" Kyle raised an eyebrow as he leaned across the counter.
"Hello, Kyle…" The red haired woman replied as she walked up to the counter. "How's business been?" She questioned.
"It's been pretty decent. I've been having some good business come in lately. Some pretty good items that people are willing to buy." Kyle nodded in satisfaction. "How's business at the inn? Busy now that the Carnival's only three weeks away?"
Anju nodded. "Yes. We have several reservations booked. The performers will be arriving in a week and a half so they can start going over their material."
"Who's booking this year?"
"The Gormon Troupe and the Indigo-gos."
Kyle whistled. "Wow, we have a good show coming for us this year." He grinned.
Anju nodded before letting out a small sigh. Enough of the chit chat… She had to ask him. "Have you seen Kafei recently?"
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Kafei? You mean he hasn't been helping you out at the inn?"
This definitely wasn't the answer Anju wanted to hear. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes and she let out another sigh as she shook her head. "I haven't seen him in a week, since he went out drinking. I thought you would know because I was sure you had been out with him."
"He left the bar before the rest of us and told us he'd be fine going home on his own, with his house pretty much being right behind the bar and all…"
"I see…" Her blue eyes fell to the floor. She was trying hard not to cry. "Well, please let me know if you do see him… I have to go back to the inn. I'll see you later…" She turned and departed from the Curiosity Shop.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Two weeks had passed and there was no sign of the thief that had stolen his mask. Kafei was going insane. He lay back on the bed of the back room of the Curiosity shop, glaring at the ceiling.
"You know, you never told me what this guy looked like. I might know a little something about him." Kyle said from his place on one of the crates.
"Bald, a weird looking grin… And he was fucking prancing like a pansy."
"Hm… Prancing, you say?" Kafei nodded and Kyle thought again. "I do seem to remember a customer like that."
Kafei sat up in the bed. "Who?"
"He goes by the name Sakon. He's only been in a few times. I don't quite like the guy much… He hasn't been in since your mask got stolen, but it would be best if you keep an eye out through the peephole whenever I have business."
"Would you happen to know where he lived or something?" Kafei was desperate to know.
"We made small talk once. He can usually be found around Ikana Canyon, he says. From the location he's speaking of, though, I would think it would be hard to get there without the proper equipment."
"Show me." Kafei got off the bed and went to the desk, pulling out a map of Termina he had looked at once or twice since he'd been there. Kyle pointed to a spot on the map before moving his hand to another part close by.
"The real trick is getting up this wall. There's a tree at the top of the wall, so if one had a hook shot, it'd be easy to get up."
"You been around there?"
"I've heard of the area and I've only seen the wall once. The tree should still be there, though. And even if you didn't have the hook shot, you could climb up the wall, but it's quite a trip. It would take a good half-hour, I'm sure."
"I'm going to go."
"Not a good idea. I wouldn't know where the actual hideout is and I'm not sure how often he frequents the area. He could be anywhere. The easiest way would be to wait til he comes in next and follow him back to Ikana. That way, we can see if we can also get a hook shot in by then."
"You know I don't have a lot of time… The Carnival is in two weeks."
"I know, but you just have to have faith. You can't just go running blindly or you'll never get your mask back."
Kafei sighed. He knew Kyle had won this match…
"Fine…"
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
"We're cutting it close…" Kafei said as he signed the letter. He looked it over one more time while Kyle sat on his bed.
Anju,
I'm sorry I took off without saying a word. If it were up to me, I'd be by your side right now… Something came up, though, and I can't see you right now. We will meet soon, though. Have faith in me. I'll explain everything when I see you. I promise to meet you with my wedding mask; that much I can promise you.
If you have a reply, simply write and put my name on the front of the envelope. The Postman will know how to get it to me.
I love you, Anju.
Yours,
Kafei
"Ugh, this is so lame… But it gets the point across. I'll deliver it in the morning."
And so, Kafei waited until morning, when the sun rose in the sky. With a yawn, he rose from his bed and changed into a fresh pair of clothes. He checked his appearance in a broken mirror before placing his Keaton Mask on. He hated that the only way he could go out in public was to wear such a silly mask, but he had to keep his identity hidden at all costs.
He walked out of the back door and greeted the Laundry Pool as he started for the exit. However, he paused to look up in the sky at the looming object above. He frowned as his eyes locked on it. There were so many rumors going around that it was going to fall and destroy the Clock Town. He wasn't entirely sure what to believe anymore…
With a shake of his head, he started walking again and made his way to the South Clock Town. He quickly worked his way down the stairs and walked to the Post Box, slipping the letter inside. With a sigh, he turned around and ran back up the stairs and back to the room.
Now, he would wait for nightfall…
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Three days until the Carnival of Time.
The Stock Pot Inn had been so busy. Anju could barely handle all the customers coming in. She had nearly gotten reservations wrong. She had been so worried about Kafei and the stress with the wedding coming so soon was going to kill her.
During a lull in the business, Anju leaned up against the counter, bringing a hand to her head and rubbing at her temple. Oh how she had such a headache. She heard the door open and let out a sigh as she stood straight and forced a smile.
"Welcome to the Stock Pot Inn…Um… Did you… Have a reservation?" The boy at the counter nodded. "You do have a reservation? That's good… May I please have your name?"
"Link."
"Mr. Link. One moment please." Anju looked through the reservation book in front of her, looking for the name Link. She found it with little trouble and smiled. "Mr. Link. I have you down for an afternoon arrival." She reached under the counter and looked for the proper key. "Your room is our 'Knife Chamber' on the second floor." She grabbed the proper key. "Here is your key."
She smiled. "Please enjoy your stay at the Stock Pot Inn."
Once the boy walked toward the stairs, the red haired woman leaned back against the counter, letting out a sigh. She slid her eyes shut for a moment, only to snap them open again when she noticed a Goron was standing at the counter. She rose to stand straight.
"Terribly sorry! Welcome to the Stock Pot Inn. I apologize, but we're completely filled."
"I made a reservation… The name is Link-goro!"
Anju looked at her reservation book. "Mr. Link-goro? I don't think we have a reservation under that name… There's one close to that, but…"
"What? Really, goro? Well… It's nice weather out, so I'll just sleep outside-goro."
"I'm terribly sorry…" Anju bowed and the Goron waved to her before he turned and exited the inn. She let out a sigh. She needed a break…
She had dozed off a little, only to be woken up when the bell rang next to her. She let out a cry of surprise and looked up at the man who stood at the counter. It was the postman. She stood up and held out her hand to retrieve the mail. She took it and raised an eyebrow at an oddly colored letter.
To: Miss Anju of the Stock Pot Inn
From: Kafei
"Ah! This letter! Where did you get it from?" Anju asked, her voice panicky as the postman turned to leave.
"From the postbox." He said bluntly.
"Th-that's not what I mean! From the postbox where?" She was desperate to know.
"From the postbox somewhere." The postman replied. Anju let out a groan.
"That's not what I mean!"
But the man did not listen. He simply left. The red-haired woman was so close to bashing her head into the counter. She merely sighed, though, and slipped the letter into her pocket. She had to make lunch for her grandmother.
She spent the next twenty minutes stirring the chili she had been making. She knew she wasn't the best cook, but her grandmother needed to eat, so she had to try and cook. She turned the stove down and put the chili into a bowl, setting the bowl on a tray. She began to head for her grandmother's room (which was next door to the kitchen). She held the tray with one hand as she opened the door to the room.
"Grandma, I brought you lunch."
"Oh, Tortus, I've already had my lunch." The woman said from her wheelchair. Anju let out a soft sigh.
"Grandma…I am Anju. Tortus was my dad." The red haired woman frowned. "And you haven't had lunch yet!"
"I've already had lunch. Now be quick and take that away."
"Not eating is bad for you. Please eat…" Anju's expression softened.
"Didn't I say I already ate lunch, Tortus? Impossible child…"
Anju let out a frustrated sigh as she turned away. "Then don't eat my food… I give up…"
"Whew!"
Anju whipped her head to look back at the woman, her eye twitching a little. "Whew?"
"Er…" The old woman tried to think of something quick. "W-w-whewwwould you like me to read you a story?"
Anju sighed and left. She decided it would be best to wait for her mother to come home to deliver lunch; unlike Anju, her mother could cook. She took the food up to the employee only room, shutting the door behind her and setting it on the table in the room. She took a seat on the bed and took the letter from her pocket.
She opened it and read it. She felt tears fill her eyes as she read. It really was him… It was his handwriting! It had to be him! She slipped the letter back into her pocket and stood from the bed, bringing her hand to wipe her tears away. She had to get back to work…
She went back downstairs to the counter and the boy from before had come back. She turned away from him, thinking he was going to leave to do something in Clock Town, but she heard him come up to the counter and when she turned to look at him, she let out a cry.
"Oh! That mask! You too… You're also looking for Kafei?" She bit her lip. If he was looking for her fiancé, too… "I have a request. Kafei… I have a clue that will help you find him. Tonight at… 11:30—" she had made the time up off the top of her head. "—Please come to our kitchen. We'll talk then."
The boy nodded and took off. Anju sighed and looked down at the paper and pens beneath the counter. She supposed she should try and formulate a response to his letter… Especially now that someone was going to help her find him.
She took a piece of paper and a pen and thought for a moment before she began to write:
Kafei,
Oh, how it relieves me to hear from you… I almost thought you were dead! I… I need to see you, but you won't let me… So I will send someone in my place. He is dressed in green clothes with a cute little green hat. As long as someone sees you…
Oh, I love you so much… I cannot wait to see you on the day of our wedding.
Love,
Anju
"Oh, this is ridiculous… But… I don't have much of a choice." Her eyes rose to see more people enter through the door. With a sigh, she folded the letter and set it in an envelope. She wrote Kafei's name in elegant print before placing it beneath the counter. She turned to help out the customers.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
It was midnight by the time Anju finally made it to the kitchen, her letter clutched in her hands behind her. She didn't want the boy to see it just yet.
"I am sorry to trouble you late at night. It's about him… Kafei…" She looked down for a moment before continuing. "I received a letter from him…" She let out a small, sad laugh. "Strange, isn't it? Getting a letter from a missing person…" She pressed her lips together and looked back at the boy.
"But there's absolutely no mistaking it's from him! It's clear…to me…Please…" She brought the letter out from behind her. "Here is my letter. Please put this in a postbox… When this is delivered… When he receives my letter… You should be able to meet him!" Her eyes lit up, a small smile on her lips.
"Please tell him that Anju is waiting for him… And please, after you've seen him… Tell me how he looked…" Her eyes fell to the ground again, filling with tears. "I'm scared…I…I can't go…" She was silent for a moment, trying to pull herself back together before she shakily spoke, raising her eyes.
"Can I ask this of you?"
The boy smiled and nodded.
"Thank you…very much… Please, mail it immediately in the morning." She smiled at the boy and patted him gently on the head. He grinned and nodded before yawning. "Go on to bed. Goodnight."
Once he departed, Anju stood in the kitchen for a few minutes longer. Everything they had been through in the past ten years… She regretted nothing.
Anju departed for her bedroom in hopes of getting some sleep.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
The sound of the bell outside caused Kafei to jerk from his sleep. He hadn't expected to sleep so late, but staying up into the Curiosity Shop closed was hard on his small body. He would do it, but he'd end up sleeping until the mid-afternoon.
He quickly grabbed the Keaton mask and placed it on, running down the flights of stairs and shooting out the door. The Postman was running in place while he waited for Kafei to come out. The boy ran up to the man and held his hand out, taking the letter.
"Thank you." He said, to which the man nodded and took off again. Kafei was sure this detour messed with the man's timing system… He felt bad, but he was glad he got the letter. He started to open it as he worked his way back into the room. He got to the top of the steps when he began to read it, pushing his mask to sit on top of his head.
Sending someone to see him in her place…? Just then, there was a knock on the door. The boy blinked and pulled his mask back down before going to the door and opening it.
Green hat… Green clothes…
He pulled the boy inside by the wrist and shut the door before walking back up the stairs. When he reached the top, he paused, keeping his back to the blonde male.
"Anju wrote about you in her letter. It seems you are looking for Kafei…" He turned to look over his shoulder. "Can you keep a secret?"
At the boy's nod, he turned to fully face him. "Anju trusted you. I shall trust you." He took off his mask. "I am Kafei."
Suddenly, a fairy jumped up from behind the boy. "The Kafei we're looking for is an adult. When I look at you, I just see a child."
Kafei had seen this coming. He explained to the two how he had been turned into a child by a strange imp-like child and then how his mask had been stolen by Sakon.
"Oh my… I pity you." The fairy spoke. Kafei looked away.
"I know Anju is worried… But I can't go out yet. I made a promise to her that I would bring the wedding mask and greet her…" He suddenly brought a hand to his neck. "This pendant…"
He reached back and undid the clasp to his pendant, letting it fall from his neck and into his hands. He held it out to the blonde boy. "Give it to Anju."
He then turned his back to the boy again "Keep what we just talked about a secret from everyone…" There was a pause before he started speaking again, moving to sit on his bed.
"Things that get stolen in this town always make their way to the Curiosity Shop. I'm waiting for that to happen." He motioned to the crate. "Stand on that crate and peek into that hole." He waited for the boy to do so before continuing. "From here, I check on the Curiosity Shop's customers. That guy will definitely appear and I'll be waiting when that happens…" He clenched his fist before falling back on his bed.
"Please… Give the pendant to Anju…" he muttered sleepily. He heard a noise of confirmation before hearing the boy's footsteps as he walked down the stairs and out of the room. He could only hope that it wouldn't be too late…
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Anju sat in her bedroom with her mother, staring at the floor. Meliza had asked for her daughter to come speak to her up in the bedroom before bed. She did not raise her eyes as her mother began to speak.
"Alright, Anju, we're leaving in the evening for the ranch. Cremia will take us in. She is your best friend, after all."
Anju was quiet for a moment before she spoke softly. "I wonder if Kafei is really at Cremia's place…" Her heart clenched at the thought.
"If Kafei is there, your mother will give him a smack!" Meliza let out a sigh before continuing. "Besides, think about Cremia. She needs strength from a partner and business support from Madame Aroma. If Kafei really has run off with Cremia, she'll get both. Please don't be sad. How happy could you possibly be marrying a man who runs off when he's about to be married? It would just make your life unhappy…"
"But… in the letter… it said he definitely would come back…" Anju softly protested, trying to drive the thoughts her mother was giving her out of her mind.
"Come back to what? Won't this town be crushed beneath the moon the morning after tomorrow?" Meliza stood. "Forget about that letter. For now, just try to survive. Everything else will follow…"
There was a long silence before Anju spoke again, sitting up and looking at her mother.
"Yes… Mother, thank you…"
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Kafei waited… And his patience paid off. His heart stopped in his chest as he watched Sakon prance on into the shop. He came to the counter where Kyle stood and placed his bag on it.
"How much will you offer for this?" He asked with a grin.
Kyle looked inside. He knew exactly where these were from… The lady a few shops down had been mugged the other night. He was disgusted with the man as he tried to come up with a price.
"100 rupees."
Sakon grimaced. "Don't be such a Rupee pincher, you miser! 200 rupees!"
"Well, why don't I just offer you even less? And y'know, this is the Bomb Shop's! How 'bout if I tell 'em all about you?" Kyle smirked.
"All right. Fine. I'll take it, but you're guilty too!" Sakon accused. Kyle rolled his eyes.
"Don't be a fool! A seller of stolen goods is just a middleman who's trying to provide his customers would good product. Look, I know nothing. If it comes to me, I buy it! I'm a charitable organization that helps people in need." Kyle explained as he took the bombs.
"I…I understand. Then the total is…" Sakon looked hopeful.
"It's 50 now. So there ya go." He pushed fifty rupees in Sakon's direction.
"What? You said 100…" Sakon protested.
"Ohhhh…So you don't want me to take it off your hands…" Kyle was about to take the money and put the bombs back in the bag.
"W-w-wait! It's a deal! It's a deal!" He took the money and quickly departed. He left the shop and Kafei was waiting outside in the dark. As soon as Sakon passed him, he began to follow. When Kyle would return to the room, he would see a letter from Kafei telling him to give the Keaton Mask to the boy in green and give a letter to his mother.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
The boy entered the Stock Pot Inn early the next morning. He started his mission of searching for Anju. He heard the distinct sound of sweeping and made his way upstairs. He followed the sound to the final room and opened the door to find Anju sweeping the floor. She looked up at him when he came close.
"Oh… Did you meet him…?" She asked, her eyes full of hope. He took the Pendant from his tunic and she gasped. "…It's from Kafei." Her eyes filled with tears. It was the same pendant from so long ago. "Th…th…Thank you…. Very much!" She said, trying to keep a hold on her emotions. She took the pendant from him, placing it carefully in her pocket.
She looked at the wall behind him, her eyes distant as she spoke. "…I have decided to wait for him. I've made my promise… I'm fine with this." She smiled and looked at the boy. "I believe him."
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
The sun was slowly moving through the sky. Kafei had been waiting outside Sakon's hideout for hours now. It was nearing six thirty in the evening when Kafei found he had another visitor. His eyes widened slightly when he noticed it was the boy from before. He spoke in a hushed whisper.
"I found him, Green hat boy…" He motioned toward the large rock wall and the obvious door that had been made from it. "He's using this place as his safe house for keeping his stolen goods. Apparently, his name is Sakon. He came to the shop last night and I followed him back here."
He looked toward the door, biting his lip gently. "His storage for the things he's stolen is on the other side of this rock door… But only Sakon can open it. The only way in is to wait for Sakon to arrive." His eyes hardened. "I'll wait… I've made a promise to Anju. He will show up…"
The two waited together for half an hour. The purple-haired boy watched carefully, his fist clenching and unclenching. He grit his teeth and wait…
Sakon did show up at seven o'clock. The door swung open for the bandit and as soon as he ran in, Kafei followed right behind. He could hear the other boy's foot steps behind him. They went inside and ran through the first door.
"Ah! Look! There's a mask there!" The fairy pointed out from the boy's side.
"It's the Sun's Mask!" Kafei cried out. He moved forward toward it, not noticing the large button in front of it until his foot stepped to push it down and an alarm went off. A door opened to his right and the mask started to move backward on a conveyor belt.
"Oh, now I've done it!" Kafei cursed at himself. He moved to run toward the door, but it shut right in his face. He let out a curse and looked around. He realized it was the button that opened the door. He quickly turned to the other boy. "Step on that switch!" he called out.
The fairy was quite annoyed that they were being told what to do, but Kafei didn't care. If they didn't hurry, his mask would be lost! "It's some set up where the door stays open only while the switch is pressed!" He explained quickly. The boy understood the urgency and ran forward to step on the switch.
The door flew open and Kafei quickly ran inside. He noted the next door was shut and there were many blocks sitting in the room he was in. "There should be some device in this room that also opens the door!" He said, frantically looking around. "Ohhh! The mask!" He was panicking a little, but he had to try and calm down. He looked down the conveyor belt and saw the end. "He's trying to pull it out of our reach and make his escape! We've got to hurry!"
Kafei looked at the blocks, He figured there was something in the middle of it all. He moved toward the nearest block and started pushing it forward. He pushed it until it hit the other block. He heard a button go in and he looked toward the door to see if it opened; no luck, though. Instead, the door to the room on the opposite side of the conveyor belt opened.
"That's no good. This isn't the switch…" He looked around the other side before turning to call back to the boy. "Go check that room. There should be some sort of mechanism. Please! There's no time!"
Kafei could hear the fairy talking bad about him, but he didn't care. He needed the boy to believe in his cause. He made a promise to Anju!
The boy ran into the other room and unsheathed his sword as a plant popped up and tried to attack him. The green-hat boy easily defeated the monster and the door on Kafei's side opened. He cheered to himself and ran toward the door. As he entered, he felt himself pale. There were a lot of weird colored buttons! But he knew the button he needed was the blue one. He ran forward and avoided all the other buttons, trying to be careful as he ran.
He jumped on the blue button and turned to see the door on the other boy's side open. He waited, his heart pounding. There were two evil plants this time, but the boy defeated them with ease. The door on Kafei's side opened and he ran around a red switch to get to the next room. He felt ready to scream when he saw the large number of blocks in the next room. He clenched his fists moved forward, pushing the block directly in front of him. He saw a yellow switch. He cursed under his breath and moved to pull the block to his right outward. From the position of the door, he could go around the back and hopefully the switch would be on the way.
He moved forward and stepped on the yellow button. His eyes widened, but he heard the conveyor belt slow a little. Yellow was good! He ran around the back way of the blocks and saw a blue block. He ran as hard as he could and jumped on it, waiting for the other boy's door to open. This time, instead of plants, he heard the howl of a wolf. His heart pounded as he waited to hear the defeat of the wolf and the sound of his door opening.
Kafei breathed again as he heard the door open and he pushed the block in front of the door away so he could move through it. He saw a blue button and immediately ran forward to step on it, opening up the door on the other side. The green-hat boy ran through and stepped on the other blue switch in the room. The mask was barely saved as the other boy's switch caused something to cover the hole that the mask had almost fallen in.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Kafei ran over to the mask and grabbed it, hugging it to his chest. Breathing heavily, he turned to Link. "There's still time! I must get back to town!"
The two left the hide out and Kafei made a mad dash toward the exit of the Canyon.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Meliza and Tortus's mother had fled from the Clock Town. Anju was going to stay. She would wait for Kafei, even if the Moon crashed into her and killed her… She would wait for him.
Her heart beat loudly in her chest with every passing minute. Morning was approaching fast and the Moon was getting closer and closer. She looked toward the door as the blonde haired boy came back inside.
"Is he here…?" She asked, her voice weak and almost broken. She was not going to lose faith in him… At the look on the boy's face, Anju dropped her face in her hands, tears beginning to gather… She was going to die without him…
The boy merely stepped away from the door as it flew open to reveal a boy about the green-hat boy's height, but the same features as her darling Kafei. Her head snapped up and she stared at him as he stood in the middle of the room, watching her for a long moment.
Emotion exploded from Anju as she let out a choked sob and stood up, picking up her Moon Mask from where she had set it on the bed next to her. She clutched it to her chest as she took a few steps toward him. She fell to her knees in front of him, meeting him at eye level as she smiled, tears pouring down her cheeks.
"I…I have met you before…" She said softly. "What a familiar scent… Long, long ago… Yes. We were still young… You called me an idiot for not having an umbrella that day…" She giggled, another small sob escaping. "The masks of the sun and the moon… We promised to exchange them on the day of the Carnival of Time."
Kafei stood straight and held his arm out in front of him, like a soldier. "Anju… I'm sorry I was late." Was all he said.
"Welcome home." She whispered.
Kafei ran forward and flung his arms around Anju's neck, burying his face in the crook of her neck and taking in her sweet scent. Anju smiled and held him tight in her arms, her tears still slipping down her cheeks. They parted after a moment.
"Let us exchange the promised masks."
Kafei drew the Sun Mask out and the two put their masks together. A bright light emerged from the two masks and when it died down, a single mask was formed. It was white with a single mark on it. It looked like it was made of porcelain.
The lovers joined hands and looked at the green-hat boy.
"We have exchanged our oaths and have become a couple. You are our witness. Please accept this mask."
The boy reached forward and smiled, taking the mask.
"Please take refuge. We are fine here." Anju said softly, gripping the hand of her lover.
"We shall greet the morning… Together." Kafei finished. He turned and hugged her once more. The lovers embraced, tears slipping down both their cheeks.
The green-hat boy left… To become a hero and save them so they could see many more mornings together.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
"Your hair looks fine, Anju!" Cremia said as Anju took another look at herself in the mirror. The ranch girl was helping the girl prepare for her wedding night. She fixed the veil that was attached to a hair pin that Anju wore in her red locks.
"I'm so nervous… Today's finally the day." She said with a large smile. They remembered the moments the previous day when they had believed that this day wouldn't come…
Cremia hugged her friend's shoulders from behind.
"It's good to be alive." She said with a smile, to which Anju nodded.
"Definitely."
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
Anju slowly stepped down the aisle. Everyone stood for her and she smiled as she saw all of her friends and family standing to the sides. And up ahead, stood Cremia as her maid of honor, Kyle as the best man, and Kafei as her beautiful groom. She finally made it to the front and she clasped hands with Kafei as they went through the ritual of being married.
"I do…" they both echoed at the proper time.
"You may kiss the bride."
Kafei moved Anju's veil from her face and leaned in, kissing her lips and holding her close to him. Anju felt her tears slip down her cheeks as she gladly kissed her new husband back, their lips moving in unison.
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-
"Congratulations. It's a boy."
Nine months and seven hours of labor later, Anju gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. As she held her new son in her arms, she looked up at the man who made it possible for her to have a baby. He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the lips before turning his attention to the baby in her arms.
"What should we name him?" She asked, looking up at him.
"Hm… I'm not sure…" He said after a few minutes. If only he could remember that boy's name…
"Link." Anju whispered softly. Kafei looked at her, slightly confused. "His name was Link." It was as if she read his mind. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead before turning his attention to the baby in her arms.
"Then Link it is."
-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-END-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-