Link: The Happy Happy Mask Salesman
By Majin Magus
Chapter One
Keaton Mask
Link blinked. "What is this?" He stared at the mask in his hands. The man behind the counter grinned. It was yellow with pointed ears and squinted eyes.
"The Keaton mask. Now, the right mask for the right person…just have faith," the man whispered, a sagely look appearing on his face.
Link rolled his eyes. It looked strange coming from a kid. "Yeah, that was the secret of the universe. Thanks for sharing that wisdom, weirdo." He muttered the last word under his breath as to not lose the chance to get a new shield. He also needed a new Deku Shield, but that could wait longer.
As he departed from the store, Link looked somewhat brightly at the people in the Market. One of them had to want this mask…
"AAAAAHHHH!!! WHAT is THAT?!?"
"EEEEYYYYAAAAH! What's your problem?"
"What a strange mask…"
"You know, I used run around with masks too."
Link sighed and sat down just outside of Market. With just these people thinking he was a weirdo, how could he ever sell this mask and get a new shield. He got up and walked over to Kakariko.
A wolf howled somewhere, and Link instantly took out his Kokiri sword. At that instant, two small skeletons popped out of the ground. One of the Stalchilds, with its glowing red eyes, swung at Link. He blocked its arm with his sword, pushed on the hilt and the sword went straight through. The skeleton didn't seem to mind; it kept coming straight for him.
All through the night, for six hours, Link was constantly on his guard. He tried to stay on the path and tread softly, but the Stalchilds always came for him. After destroying about fifteen, a giant Stalchild, a little taller than he, erupted from the ground.
"Aah! What the hell?!" Link cried as he danced back. Cautiously, watching the Stalchild blink at him, he put away his slingshot and got out a large red crystal. It seemed to be hollowed out and there was a fire inside, but it was a magical fire, since if there really was a fire in there, it would burn out from lack of oxygen.
"Din's Fire," Link whispered. He drew his hands back, the crystal hovering above. He jammed his right fist into the ground and burning red flames sprung up. The Stalchild froze and was knocked into pieces.
Link grinned victoriously. "Now who's the pile of bones? Although, you were already bones…" Suddenly a rooster crowed. "Oh, daytime. Time to find a customer.
The sun was rising over the field, and a mist was settling on the ground. The grass became dewy, causing Link's boots to get wet.
"Too bad," Link sighed, "in a few years this'll look the same, but it will be infested with evil."
A grin appeared on his face. "But that's what I'm here for, huh? One more temple after the Spirit, and then it's…straight…to…Ganondorf. Oh, darn. I was hoping for, I don't know, a vacation or something…"
"Least I'm done with that Water Temple. I would be halfway through the last temple if it weren't for the fact that my shield is gone…figures…I bet the treasure of the Spirit Temple on the statue's left hand is a shield." Link sighed. "Figures."
And so Link continued to Kakariko on his quest to earn money.
"Excuse me, sir, would you like a mask?" Link asked a large man standing under a tree.
"And what is that mask of? Forget it, I have lots of work to do! Go play or something. I have to motivate those lazy slackers," he mumbled, shooing Link away with his hand.
Link walked away. "Hey, would you like to buy a mask?" he asked, walking over to a girl. "This is a-a…Pika…no…Kee…Keaton! Yes, that's it! This is a Keaton mask, want it?"
The girl smiled, but shook her head. "Sorry, but I'm far too busy to play with masks. Maybe you should ask around. I do reach someone talking about needing a mask, or something," the girl said thoughtfully, then turned and continued walking.
"I'll never get that shield…" Link mumbled, thinking vaguely of walking over to see the Gorons. Some of them might want this mask. No, that was wishful thinking, but it was all Link had to go on.
"Or Ruto, or Saria! And maybe the Kokiri would this Keaton mask!!" Link cried, realizing he knew lots of people. One of them had to want this mask!!
As Link walked with a little more happily a gait, the guard at the gate to Death Mountain Trail stopped him.
"Did you say Keaton?" he asked seriously.
Link brightened more. "Yeah, yeah! You want the mask?!" He couldn't believe it! A person wanted…but what if he didn't?
The guard suddenly looked embarrassed. "Actually, it…it isn't for me. It's for…for my son," he mumbled, his face going red. Link really didn't care; he just wanted money.
"Oh, that's okay! I understand!" Link said cheerily, holding up the Keaton Mask. "You want it for your kid?"
The guard stared at it. "Yeah…yeah, I'll take it. Here." He handed Link fifteen rupees. "My kid's gonna flip when I show him this! Thanks, Mr. Hero!"
Link fingered the money eagerly. "So the mask cost ten rupees, and I get five. It's a start." And then he headed back to Market.
*
As the bustling crowd made it difficult for Link to get to the Mask shop, the sun went slowly down. He quickened his pace stepped inside the Mask Shop. The owner glanced at him and placed another mask on the shelf. Link handed him the ten rupees.
"You earn five rupees. Very good. And remember; just have faith…" the owner said, an airy, vague look coming over his face.
"So, can I have the next mask?" Link asked, bringing the man back down to earth. He shook his head, confused, and handed like the new mask.