Mask Maker

Part II of III

Vakama gulped as he watched the Ta-Matoran pour into the stands. The Mask-Making Contest was almost like a holiday in Ta-Metru as most workers got the day off to watch those that were trying out to be mask-makers. Mask-makers were the most prestigious workers in Ta-Metru, so Ta-Matoran watched as a sign of respect for the coveted position.

Not to mention Ta-Matoran enjoyed watching the occasional fireworks that erupted when a prospective mask-maker destroyed the mask he was working on.

Vakama sighed to himself. He only had a level-two Kanoka Disk with him as that that was all he could find. As he stood in a line to the side of the stadium with the other prospective mask-makers, he noticed that everyone else had a level-four disk.

As the Ta-Matoran was thinking to himself, he failed to notice a figure dismounting a flying board. The other Matoran that were waiting with him stepped away, leaving Vakama by himself. He looked first left and then right to see the other prospective mask-makers huddling together, and then up.

"Lhikan," Vakama said, feeling both relieved and anxious. He was glad that his friend had come to show his support, but also was afraid of disappointing him.

"Hello, Vakama," Lhikan said with a smile. "Today's your big day, isn't it?"

"I suppose…" Vakama said wearily.

Lhikan smiled sympathetically and took the disk Vakama had been holding. "Vakama, if you're to be a mask-maker, then you must have the tools of a mask-maker."

Vakama watched as Lhikan withdrew from his back another disk. When Lhikan handed it to Vakama, the Matoran gasped. "Lhikan…this is a level-six Kanoka Disk! It's the highest quality disk used for making Matoran masks. Where in Metru Nui did you get this?"

Lhikan grinned at his friend's enthusiasm. "It's yours, my friend." The Toa turned at the sound of a speaker –

"All contestants to your places!"

"It's time," Lhikan said with a nod. Vakama gulped apprehensively, and Lhikan gave him a gentle nudge toward the center of the stadium. "Good luck," Lhikan said as Vakama went to his designated anvil.

Yeah, Vakama thought, I'm going to need it…

He put his goggles on his Kanohi Mask and set his gift from his friend carefully down on the anvil. Vakama readied his firestaff, trying to ignore the hush that had come over the crowd. His hand shook involuntarily as he waited for the signal…

"On your mark, get set, go!"

Vakama set immediately to work. The Ta-Matoran whispered quietly, observing the prospective mask-makers. A few roared with laughter when a nervous Matoran broke his Kanoka Disk after only a few seconds. Vakama bit his bottom lip, trying not to think of the possibility of failure.

The way that the judges judged the contestants was by their speed, creativity and flawlessness. One glaring flaw would ruin one's chances for becoming a mask-maker. A minor scratch was pardonable for amateurs such as the contestants, though the Kanohi Mask would not be able to be worn.

It seemed that everyone was there today. Even Takua, who was allergic to work and almost never in Ta-Metru was present. Vakama tightened his grip on his other arm to control the shaking that threatened to destroy the mask he was working on.

As most prospective mask-makers made Ta-Matoran masks (as that was what they saw everyday), Vakama was trying to make a Ga-Matoran water-breathing mask. He had been studying how to make one, and he figured that some originality would score a higher mark with the judges.

The mask on the anvil next to his exploded into flames. Laughter swelled up in the crowd, partly because of the contestant's failure and partly because Vakama jumped about five feet in the air. The Matoran clutched his chest, trying to get his heartlight to stop flashing so erratically.

Lhikan frowned with concern. He stood to the side of the bleachers, watching with folded arms. Come on, Vakama, he thought, hoping that Vakama could hear him, you can do it.

Vakama looked up at Lhikan, and the Toa smiled reassuringly. Instead of coaxing Vakama, this only made him feel more nervous. What if I mess up? What if I destroy this level-six Kanoka Disk? The fear of winning his friend's disapproval shook Vakama up even more than the minor explosion had.

When Vakama tried to work on the Kanohi Mask again, his hand shook and broke the mask in half.

No! he thought, backing away and covering his mask as flames shot up in the air. Members of the crowd laughed, and the sound seemed to suffocate Vakama.

Vakama looked at his friend. Lhikan was frowning.

No… Vakama thought, hanging his head. His worst fear had just been confirmed – he had failed his best friend.

The laughter echoed in his head, and even as he shook it they seemed to rattle in his head. He couldn't take it anymore.

He pumped his arms and ran out of the stadium.

Lhikan watched sadly as his friend went. He knew that he couldn't follow, as that would only hurt his friend's pride even more. So he watched, and had a feeling that Matoran didn't think that Toa had…

Helplessness.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

A knock came to Vakama's door.

"I'm not here!" Vakama yelled.

The door opened anyway, and a familiar mask looked into the hut. Lhikan bent over to get through the doorway and entered the hut, closing the door behind him. He stood up straight and blinked at the sight before him.

Vakama was stuffing every mask and disk in his house into a large bag. The Matoran didn't bother looking up at his visitor.

"Vakama…what are you doing?" Lhikan asked gently.

Vakama continued taking disks off of his wall and stuffing them into his sack. "Cleaning," he muttered, dragging the heavy bag across the floor.

Lhikan frowned sadly. "Don't give up on your dream," he said, taking a Kanoka Disk off of the wall and looking at it. Vakama snatched it from his hand and stuck it into the bag.

"Well, I failed the test," Vakama said bitterly, staring at Lhikan's feet. "It doesn't matter what I want. I failed, and that's all there is to it."

Lhikan sighed, feeling that he wasn't getting through to his friend. He said, "Vakama, I am proud of you." Vakama slowly looked up.

"Really?" Vakama asked, feeling his throat tighten.

Lhikan nodded solemnly and smiled. "You tried – nobody can say you didn't try."

Vakama smiled weakly. Though he had failed the test, he was glad that he had not lost his friend's respect.

"Oh!" Lhikan said. "I just remembered – I wanted to give a gift to one of my friends tomorrow. I was wondering if you could make a Kanohi Mask for me to give him."

Vakama arched an eyebrow. Giving Kanohi Masks as gifts to decorate one's home was not unusual, but he felt that it was odd that his friend was asking him to do this after he had just failed to make a Kanohi Mask. "Me?" he asked, pointing at himself.

Lhikan smiled and nodded. "Yes, you. I'll need it by tomorrow morning. Do you think you can get it done in time?"

"Yeah, well…" Vakama said, mulling over the idea in his mind. His friend had supported him, so it only seemed right to do the same. "I'll need a Kanoka Disk."

Lhikan brandished another level-six Kanoka Disk. "Here," he said, handing it to Vakama. Vakama looked at it, wondering just how many more such disks his friend was hiding.

"I'll have it ready for you before I go to work tomorrow," Vakama said.

Lhikan thanked him and left.