"Where have you been, hmm?"
"Master, I-"
"You were watching that girl again, weren't you..?"
Oni closed his white, pupiless eyes and nodded in defeat.
"My boy, who was it that freed you from your other body?"
"You, Master. I am thankful."
The mask salesman smiled.
"Ah, you should be."
Oni nodded again. He had come to existence when the young Hero, Link, put on the Fierce Diety Mask, but little did the young boy know that a new soul had been infused into his own the moment he donned the frightful mask. Oni-Link's soul was in anguish as the young boy took advantage of his power, and he pleaded and pleaded with the mask salesman through his mind to release him from the young boy's body.
The mask salesman had complied, but under the condition that he would become the property of the salesman. To do his bidding and fulfill his whim.
"Look at yourself, Oni. You are what you are because I made you."
Oni looked into the ornate mirror on the wall of the dark, dank room under the Clock Tower, where he lived with his Master. He saw a young man with long, shaggy silvery white hair over his lightly tanned face, his gleaming white eyes over his sharp nose and thin lips. His red-and-blue facial markings glowed eerily under his pupiless eyes.
He was wearing a silver tunic with ornate armor on top, complete with gauntlets and ending in dark brown boots. And over his back hung a long, twisted gray-green sword.
"I am thankful.." he said again, softly.
Master grinned and nodded.
"My boy.."
"Yes, Master.."
"I wouldn't go around trying to talk to women, if I were you, boy.. you know what I sent you to do here in Termina. You are to watch for signs of trouble. You are to watch for the Skullkid. You know what he's taken from me...again." The mask salesman shuddered.
Oni nodded. "Understood, Master."
Oni hadn't existed for very long, but the moment he'd laid eyes on the beautiful young woman in the ranch, he was taken. He wasn't created to fall in love, but before even speaking a word to that angel through young Link's body, he wanted her for himself.
He tried to shake the selfish thought from his head, but he couldn't help himself.
"Oh, Oni.."
"Master..."
"I'm quite hungry, you know. Please be a dear and fetch your Master some food."
"Yes, Master."
xxxx
Oni walked out from under the Clock Tower and breathed in the morning air. He wasn't quite used to his body, he'd only had it for a few weeks, but if he'd learned one thing, he definitely knew how to appreciate the senses. He enjoyed food, he enjoyed pleasant scents, he enjoyed...beauty.
But people were afraid of poor Oni. He'd wave to children, only to have them hide behind their wide-eyed, frozen mothers. He'd thank shopkeepers only to have them stare blankly at his 6'3 frame.
But it was all worth it to enjoy being free of the depressing silence of the young Hero Link's short-lived quest. He was Oni, not Link. He didn't want to be associated with that boy at all.
Oni approached a food-seller's cart in East Clocktown. He smiled at her, even though she looked like she'd just seen the cursed moon's face.
"Erm...two containers of rice and roast Cuccoo please.." He said politely and softly.
The woman hastily pulled two warm containers of food from the box under her cart and handed them to the tall, strange man before her. She held her hand up as he dug in his armor for his bag of Rupees. He started to speak, but the woman shook her head.
"It's free!" she squeaked, her shoulders tensing up.
"No, madam, I-"
"Please! It's on the house. Pay next time."
"I...thank you.." Oni faltered. He nodded in thanks as he grabbed the food and headed back toward South Clocktown to feed his Master.
xxxx
"That was delightful, my boy. Thank you so very much."
The mask salesman pushed his empty container aside and looked up at his tall servant.
"Will you please remove my slippers? I'd very much like to take a small nap before I head toward the astronomy tower to visit my dear friend."
"Yes, Master."
Oni obeyed and removed the slippers from the maskman's feet as he slipped into the large, king sized bed and slowly dozed off.
Oni usually slept wherever he fell asleep, but if he was lucky enough to get home before that, he slept on the stairs to the door.
The young man sighed.
What was that beautiful woman doing? He wanted to go find out.
He'd been watching her from afar from the day his Master had freed him from Link's body. He'd watched her come and go, watched her wake up, go to bed... he pretty much stalked her. She was the main reason of his happiness, and she didn't even know it. Her vibrant smile, her simple style, her simple life at a ranch and the beauty of her dedication to raising her young sister. But lately she'd been a bit down..
Oni remembered her young sister saying something about her older sister having feelings for a married man. His heart sank at the thought that she could like someone else.
Some undeserving man would be the one to enjoy her vibrance, her bright aura...
No, no, he shook the thought.
As long as I can see her, she's mine. At least from afar...
Oni took a breath as he slowly opened the door and slipped out into the late morning air.
He nodded at the guard at the exit of the town and made his way out into Termina Field. He rushed at lightning speed toward the ranch and made sure he was well hidden behind one of the taller hills as he watched the younger sister play happily with her dog.
Where was the beautiful older girl? He thought as he heard the little one giggle.
And then he saw her as she led a large creme horse around the corner of the barn.
Oni held his breath. She was stunning, with her long, vibrant red hair throwing a sharp contrast against the darkening grey of the sky, her eyes sparkling against her fair skin. She laughed, the most musical sound Oni'd ever heard, as she watched her little sister chase the dog around a box in front of their little house.
Then, the young man froze as the lovely girl's head snapped in his direction. The young girl also looked after a moment, both the girls seemed to be staring at him.
The angel on earth suddenly ushered her sister into the house, and closed the door after the both of them. She then drew the curtain over the window and blew out the light.
Oni took a breath and zoomed around the back of the house to listen...
"It's the Wolfos! It was silver, I saw it! You lied, Cremia!"
Cremia...it was beautiful. It suited her so well.
"Okay, Romani, they exist, all right? I just didn't want you to be scared."
"Well, I am now!"
"Okay, just...just..go upstairs for a minute. I'm going to borrow your bow."
That was Oni's cue. He zoomed over and out of the ranch, heading back toward Clock Tower.
xxxx