The Hyrulian Valhalla Saga
By Queenie Z

If The Mask Fits, Wear It!

The Heroes had quite a lot in common besides their destinies, their clothes, and their general good nature. One of the most salient similarities was their tendency to fall soundly asleep in practically every other place but their own beds. It didn't matter where it was or what time of day it was, one of the Links was bound to be snoozing away somewhere at any given moment in their afterlife.

At this particular moment, Light had dozed off beneath the cool shade of an apple tree, his hat halfway fallen from his head and a spot of drool on his cheek. He was completely oblivious and completely vulnerable - and that was why the mysterious masked boy decided to wreak his mischief on the sleeping Hero.

The young boy broke a twig off of the tree and knelt beside Light's sleeping form. The reached over and brushed his nose with the twig's leaves, tickling him and causing his face to contort in discomfort. Then, he sneezed, waking himself up in the process. After sitting up with a start, Light looked around in a daze before coming face to face with a creepy looking yellow creature with black-tipped ears.

"Wah!" he screamed and recoiled in surprise, causing the boy in the keaton mask to begin laughing uncontrollably. Once Light realized that it was, indeed, only a mask, he frowned and pulled it off of the other's face. He then cocked an eyebrow when he recognized who it was. "Wait... Time?"

The boy grinned and gave his successor a playful wink. Although he was still recognizable as the Hero of Time, he looked no older then about ten. "Heheh, did I scare you, Light?"

"Of course not!" lied Light. "But what's with that form all of the sudden? You don't usually go around as a little kid."

Time shrugged. "I just felt like it, that's all. Honestly, I don't know why the rest of you don't change your ages more often - it's not like there's anything stopping you."

He had a point - they could pretty much take whatever form they wanted to in this life, but they often chose not to for consistency's sake. Light sighed. "Ah, well, maybe some other time."

"Suit yourself." Time reached in his pouch and rummaged around for something. "Anyway, I wanted to bring you something, Light."

"Bring me something? ...Why, though?"

Time rolled his eyes. "Do I always need a reason for everything? I just wanted to give everybody something nice, that's all."

"Sorry, sorry," Light said with a sheepish grin. "Thank you, though, that's really thoughtful of you."

"No problem." The young Hero of Time pulled out a bunny hood and handed it to Light. "Here you go!"

Light took it and inspected it. "Are these... bunny ears?"

Time nodded. "Yeah." He grinned cheekily. "I thought they'd suit you a lot better than me."

The newer Hero stared for a moment, then finally got the joke. His eye twitched and his cheeks turned the slightest bit red.

"Oh... oh. Ha ha. Very funny, Time."

"Don't be mad!" Time stretched his arms behind his head. "I gave Sky my all night mask, and he thought it was pretty funny."

"He's not the one who turned into a giant rabbit!"

Time stood. "Geez, Light, you need to learn to take a joke," he said, pulling the keaton mask back over his face. "Anyway, I need to go find Twilight and Engie. Later!"

As the child Hero pattered off to find his other companions, Light took another look at the rabbit ears he had been given. Then, out of a morbid sense of curiosity, he put them on. To his surprise, he started chuckling at the thought of how he must have looked - maybe it wasn't such a terrible little joke after all.