This chapter didn't take as long to write as I thought it would, since Ailavyn Siniyash and Dantalion followed (Dantalion favorited and reviewed; thanks SO much!)! Thank you both! It makes me happy to know that people enjoy my writing ^w^
Alright! Let's get this done!
Disclaimer; I don't own Zelda or any characters thereof.
-x-
I trudged through the forest, my wearied feet begging me to stop making them carry me across the uneven ground. Despite my exhaustion, I willed myself forward, hoping to reach Clock Town within the hour. A loud rumbling sound filled my ears, and I spun around, searching frantically for the source. After a few moments, I realized the monstrous sound was just my stomach, telling me it wouldn't be satisfied with the bread crusts and stream water I had consumed hours before, and I gave a hearty laugh.
As the trees thinned around me, the world around me spun and I fell to the forest floor, sending a few damp leaves flying upwards, only to tumble back down. How mundane this simple ritual must be, but watching it through half-lidded eyes made me realize the significance of a single leaf reacting to it's surroundings. Just as I was about to launch into a deep, philosophical study on the trials of the leaf, I realized I didn't care. I was too tired to care about anything but rest, so I let my leaden eyelids fall shut and my mind become subject to my subconsciousness.
-x-
I awoke a few hours later to the sound of giggling and two very high-pitched voices going on about "put that down, Skull Kid!" and "you really shouldn't mess with other people's things." I decided to lay low and pretend I was still asleep (or did they think I was dead?). After all, I was sore from lying face down in a pile of damp, moldy leaves for God-knows how long with blistered feet and calloused shoulders; it was nice to have a little conscious rest. After a few more moments of giggling and scolding, I shifted ever so slightly to check my situation. Yes, standing was going to be an issue, seeing as how my pack seemed to have gained a few hundred pounds while I slept.
But that slight movement gave me a clear view of the supposed 'Skull Kid,' who was wearing one of my prized masks and cackling maniacally. Now, if it was another mask, such as my Keaton mask or my Bunny Hood, I would be relatively alright with my current situation. I mean, if I saw a bunch of cool masks lying around, hey, I'd try them on, too. But this kid was wearing my most recently acquired mask, not to mention the most expensive by far. And he didn't seem to be handling it with the best of care, which set me off even more.
"Hey!" I barked, trying to make my croaking voice sound more intimidating. "Give that back!" The child jumped at my sudden exclamation, clearly startled that the mysterious man with a mask collection, whom he thought was out cold, just realized what was going on. He took one look at me, glaring up at him from beneath a two-ton pack, and took to his heels. I watched him run off, my mouth hung wide open. Had I really just lost my best mask?
I pounded my fists into the soggy leaves like a child who hadn't gotten his way and cried to the heavens. Summoning the rest of my strength, I hurled the pack off of me and started kicking it, emphasizing each time my foot connected with the bundle of canvas and rope with a cry of indignation. How dare he! How dare that little punk run off with my mask without even giving me a sign he understood. Immediately, my anger subsided. Maybe the child didn't understand my dialect, and I had frightened him off with my outburst.
No, the fairies had spoken to him in the same language. He had just decided to ignore me. I couldn't believe this kid's impudence. I sighed in resigned frustration and sat down next to my pack. As I picked the various leaves and grass blades off of the thick fabric, I remembered the situation in which I had received the mask.
-x-
I strolled casually down the alley behind the Bombchu Bowling Alley, smiling to myself as I held a carefully wrapped parcel safely under one arm. I couldn't wait to open my shop for the day and display my new mask; everyone had been asking when I was going to restock, and I finally had five such demanded masks tucked beneath an arm. To make sure I wouldn't be swarmed by my dear customers, I decided to take the back road. As much as I love my wonderful shoppers, I don't think I could survive a swarm of excited children waiting for their very own Keaton mask.
I was close to the back entrance of my shop when a door opened, and a short, wrinkled old lady stepped out, carrying with her a package wrapped in canvas. I looked at her creased face and loosely-fitting clothes with a sense of unease beginning to settle in my gut. I don't know why, but I didn't like this woman. I had never seen her before now, but when I first opened my shop and visited each of my new neighbors to let them know, I didn't even get to speak clearly to this woman. All she let me do was speak to her from outside the door. In all actuality, it's very hard to try to carry out any sort of decent conversation with a five inch thick mahogany door in between the conversationalists.
Ah, my mind drifted again. My, my, it's hard to keep track of things! Hmmm... Let's see... Oh! That's right! The old woman!
She stepped out onto the cold stone pavement and glared up at me (despite my hunched back, I had a good foot or two on her), her sea-foam eyes boring into my very soul.
"Ah, good morning!" I exclaimed in a cheery tone, trying to make small talk. "How are you this lovely sunrise?"
She just glared at me, tapping a finger against the parcel beneath her arm, making a dull 'thunk' every time her finger connected with the package. A few moments passed in complete silence, holding eye contact for the entire time. Eventually, I broke from her hard stare.
"I sincerely apologize," I began, edging away from her ever so slightly, "but I must be going now. After all, my masks won't sell themselves!" I gave a light chuckle and started to slowly walk away.
"Hold it, young man," the elderly lady squawked, waddling towards my retreating form. "You should have this." Thrusting the package into my chest, she shuffled back to her house and slammed the door. I stood unmoving for quite some time, just blinking in bewilderment. Remembering the Keaton masks held tightly in my arms, I rushed to my shop, holding both the Keaton masks and my newly acquired package tightly to my chest.
-x-
"I'm sorry, but that was the last of them until next week," I smiled sadly at the small child whose teary eyes barely cleared the counter. "But I will save one for you the moment I receive a new order if you write your name down for me!" I held out a clipboard and he scrawled an illegible name across the entire page. As he left, I turned to the shelves and checked the wares. Everything was almost fully stocked. The only thing out was the Keaton masks. Who knew such a strange looking fox mask could be so popular with children?
I sighed contently and turned back to the jar of Rupees beneath the counter top, and the few green Rupees that had fallen around it. I smiled as I shifted my attention to the package I had received earlier, still wrapped in all its stained- linen glory. As I thought of opening it, an unexplainable sense of dread settled itself in my gut.
I reached out gingerly, my trembling fingers barely brushing against the fine linden before I subconsciously retracted my shaking hand. Swallowing the lump of fear in my throat, I snatched up the package and tore away the thin fabric, not giving myself time to reminisce. As the wrappings fell away, a beautifully hand crafted mask came in to my sight. It was a deep royal hue, with swirling yellow eyes and crimson designs that traced paths along the edges. Triadic designs slipped across the smooth wooden surface, and became more pronounced beside the honey-colored spikes that protruded from the outer and top edges. Thin white trails wove their way into the intricate design, as if a snail had danced across the painted wood as it was drying. This wondrous mask was surely worth a fortune, and since the Carnival of Time was just around the corner, I thought it would be smart to auction it at my mask stand.
I set the mask carefully down on the counter and began packing my rucksack for the long trek from Hyrule to Termina. As I began to roll up my bedding, a shot one last look at the mask.
I felt myself pulled into the hypnotic gaze at once, unable to resist the quiet, indecipherable chanting that resonated in the back of my head. Unexplainable thoughts swarmed my brain; thoughts of conquest and victory, of lavish tyranny and supreme power. After what seemed like an endless time, I came to my senses.
What was I thinking? I was no more than a mask salesman with absolutely no knowledge, or the desire to acquire any such skills, of fighting or anything else so utterly brutal. Mentally berating myself, I re-wrapped the mask, careful to only look at it from the edges of my sight. Unceremoniously stuffing it into my pack, I hoisted said object onto my back and closed up shop, ready to make the journey through the Lost Woods.
-x-
Ne~ finally done with this chapter! It took WAAY too long and was pretty rushed towards the end, and that's a double failure on my part X( SORRY EVERYONE!
To make up for it, here's a Darth Vader;
C8]
And now to explanations! Let's get the "wooden surface" of the mask cleared up first, shall we? As you probably know, Zelda takes place in medieval times (if I were to time gauge it, I'd say it would be around the twelfth century), so there wasn't really a large array of materials that could be used for masks. Metals such as steel and iron are pretty heavy, and since Majora's mask was supposed to be from an ancient tribe's ritual, I highly doubt that it would be made of any sort of precious metal.
And now the "royal hue" part. Purple was the color of royalty from around the third and fourth centuries to about the mid-eleventh century when leopard pelts (mainly snow) became a sign of wealth/royalty.
My theory for the placement of at least Hyrule and Termina is that they are connected by the Lost Woods, seeing as how both games (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask) began; in the woods. I don't know, maybe it's just me :/
So the next two chapters will be relatively short, since we will be dealing with our favorite fairy siblings, Tatl and Tael. Just as a bit of added trivia, did you guys know that their names are derivatives from the common playground chant for those who tell on bad kids, "tattle-tale?" Most of you probably already knew that, but when I discovered that, it was a HUGE epiphany moment! XD
Ah, random things aside, thanks to everyone who's reading this :) all the support I receive makes my day ^w^ I really do apologize if this chapter feels rushed; I did my best!