The streets of Clock Town bustled with activity in the early afternoon. Workers and carpenters were focused on packing away the decorations from the Carnival of Time. The grand event had ended a week ago and now most minds were turned to planning the extravaganza for the next year. Housed with the walls of this town stood the iconic Clock Tower, although no historian of Termina could establish when it was constructed or who planned this marvellous tower. Yet all races of Termina revered it as the heart of their land, beating to its rhythm as it counted through the ages and watching the shifting landscapes.
East Clock Town was regarded as the upper class neighbourhood. It held the majority of attractions and housed prestigious members of the community. Travellers were always encouraged to stay at the Stock Pot Inn, the only and therefore finest hotel in town, visit the Milk Bar and partake in the various games always available all year round. It also appeared to be the most flamboyant of the districts with colourful banners decorating the streets. No matter what time of day or night, East Clock Town was always pulsing with activity and never seemed to close.
Weaving through the crowds was a youth on the cusp of early adulthood. Her black hair was cut messily to hang above her shoulders. Longer strands were braided to frame her face and were tied to silver rings. A jester hat kept her hair off her face although the ends were knotted through two thick silver hoops. Her roughed up clothes resembling what a boy would wear. Her boots were scuffed beyond recognition and the patterns on the leather were faded with time. Her lucky Keaton mask still covered her face despite the fact that the festival was well and truly over for this year.
Jim spied Sable wandering down the street as she always did. It was hard to miss her in a crowd as she stood out almost anywhere, her skin had a sickly grey hue to it and her eyes, just thinking of them made his skin crawl. Most adults seemed to avoid her as well despite being the adoptive daughter of Professor Shikashi. Nevertheless, there was something about her that made him and the Bombers nervous. He tightened his red bandana, a subtle signal to his cohorts that she was moving into position.
Another member of the Bombers nodded back from atop a pile of crates on the opposite side of the square. He then waved to another who was running from South Clock Town. This Bomber had unfortunately drawn the short straw and had to hide raw bacon in his pocket. It was the only to catch the attention of the Mutoh's dog. The burly carpenter claimed it was his wife's dog, but the adorably fluffy mutt never strayed far from him. However the dog had a vicious temperament and many social problems, even chasing after armoured guards when provoked. Even the Deku merchants who came to town were often too terrified to open shop when it was sniffing around.
Right now that same dog was chasing the scent of bacon coming from the boy with a bandana. It chased him through the crowd, its mind consumed with hunting that bacon down. The Bomber crossed paths with Sable and tossed it in her direction. Although at the last minute she knelt down to pick up a flyer for the Indigo-Gos. The bacon landed on a post box instead followed by the leaping charge of the ferociously fluffy dog. The unsuspecting post box had no chance as it splintered into pieces.
Jim waved frantically at his fellow Bombers from his vantage point on top of the Milk Bar. He could see the Postman coming, moving to his routine like clockwork as always, and he would not be forgiving for such destruction. They divided and fled with every intention to reconvene in North Clock Town so they could formulate their next plan. In light of today's circumstances, they had more notes to enter in their club's notebook.
The splintered remains of the post box were greeted by the screams of the Postman. Mutoh's dog munched happily on its acquired bacon, glaring at the thin red headed man in the strange outfit and hat. That hat, just looking at that bunny emblem annoyed the dog's senses. It did not care for the guards that had been called over either. The littler dog finally erupted as it barked madly at all of them.
Outside the Stock Pot Inn, Anju was sweeping the street near the front door. Her short red hear curved neatly around her face and framed her azure eyes. She was a beautiful young woman wearing her favourite blue skirt, vest and shirt. Noticing the comical argument between man and dog over the post box, she paused her daily cleaning routine. Upon hearing a familiar giggle Anju said to the jester girl near her "What did you do now Sable?"
The Keaton mask lifted to reveal a pleasant face aside from her sickly complexion. Her bloodshot eyes permanently appeared infected as her sclera was tinged yellow and her iris was the colour of mud. Anju always worried that the young girl was actually diseased and that perhaps Professor Shikashi had not noticed. The old man always seemed to be focused on his astronomy to pay attention to anything else going on.
Sable replied sincerely "Nothing, I'm just walking down the street minding my own business, Ms Anju. I can't help it if the Bombers are annoying."
Anju was not convinced as she placed a hand on her hip "I know what you're like, you knew they were getting that dog into place."
The accusation earned a cheeky grin from Sable, she then waved to her "I have to get home now Ms Anju, it was nice to see you again."
The crowds seemed to avert their gaze as Sable walked down the street. The familiar nervous glances followed by suddenly becoming very interested in the wall were not lost on her. Reluctantly, Sable pulled down her mask to hide her eyes. She wondered if she could ever go into a town without people looking at her strangely. As far as she knew, she was simply born this way, she was not a sick child to be pitied or a freak to gawk at. It made a part of her want to leave this town behind and see if maybe there were others who looked like her.
Her path took her in the direction of the Mayor's office before a sudden detour into a darkened alleyway. At the end of the cobbled path was a tunnel into Clock Town's underbelly. It was well lighted by various torches but it never seemed to keep the rats and spiders at bay. She knew Professor Shikashi needed to be away from the lights of the city to do his work. Yet she resented the trek to and from Clock Town every day in order to get the shopping done. The only upside to this path was that it was much safer than travelling through the fields.
A firm hand grabbed her by the shoulder before she could wander off. Sable looked up to see the rather distinguished and unimpressed face of Captain Viscen. His immaculate armour was trimmed with decorations of purple and gold. Judging from the pack of scrolls under his shoulder he had just had a meeting with Mayor Dotour. "I've received reports that you've been climbing the walls again."
"Me?" Sable innocently started, then frowned as she realised the captain could see right through her act "Yes, it was me. It's not like I get in the way of your patrols, I just like the view."
Captain Viscen shook his head at her "But you shouldn't be up there because you're clearly still sick."
Sable let out a sigh, it felt no matter how many times she told him he just would not listen. "I know you mean well captain and that you're very good at your job…" he waited for her to elaborate "But I like being on top of the walls, feels like I'm on the shoulders of a giant."
"But it's no place for children, Sable. Consider this your final warning, I may have to organise a patrol just to keep an eye on you."
"It won't come to that." She called to him as they parted ways, Sable retreated into the darkness to make the journey home. Honestly she could not be overly angry at the captain, even though he was a little old fashioned, he clearly loved Clock Town and took his duty to protect everyone in it very seriously.
At that moment Professor Shikashi was adding his recent discoveries to his archive of maps. Each one was a detailed parchment on all the positions of the stars and the migratory patterns of comets. They were paintings of the celestial bodies that only dared reveal themselves in the night. His obsession with the night had led to him becoming the most respected astronomer in all of Termina. However he found himself quick to anger when a tourist mistook him as a cheap fortune teller. At times like that he was overwhelmed with the need to explain the differences between astronomy and astrology.
His solace was interrupted as he spied a jester hat moving among the piles of tomes gathered in his observatory. The walls were jet black yet reflected all the colours of the rainbow beneath the light of his lamps. He called out "Welcome back Sable."
"Evening Gramps." Sable responded as she placed the sack of groceries in their small kitchen "Anything new in the sky?"
"Not really, but I finished mapping the trajectory of Eldin's comet." He turned from his work, his blue robes aflutter as he moved among the piles of books "I'll have this tidied in a moment child," he adjusted his blue cap that held his long silver hair at bay "By the way, happy birthday." He retrieved an envelope from his pocket and handed it to her, almost choking on his words to say "Your father wanted me to give you this when you were fourteen."
By then Sable had tossed her mask onto the hammock she called her bed. She received the gift with a perplexed look "Thankyou… but why would my father want me to wait?" He shrugged back to her as she opened the envelope. She tugged on the old leather chord and pulled out an unusual stone pendant. It might have been a helm from armour or a mask. A twisted face adorned by a pair of horns fitted in the leather seamlessly. There was a pair of strangely wide eyes looking back at her yet no mouth or nose. The end of the pendant curved into another pair of horns and two jagged spikes. Despite looking like stone, it felt almost weightless in her hand. "What a peculiar design… Where did he find this?"
Professor Shikashi lighted his pipe, blowing out a ring of smoke "It was a gift from his own mother, it's been passed down through your family for centuries. A most unique heirloom so you better be careful with it."
"I'm never letting it out of my sight." Sable pulled the chord apart and realised it had snapped, she was mortified "Oh Giants, I just broke a priceless heirloom!"
"No child, put the ends back together and you'll see." She followed his suggestion, lining the broken ends together she witnessed them merge back together like nothing had happened. Professor Shikashi laughed at her bewildered face "That old necklace is more than it seems. However I haven't the slightest on what specifically it's for. Perhaps in a different era it held some significance but now, it's just an interesting piece of jewellery."
By then Sable had placed the necklace around her neck and was surprised at just how large it was. The pendant itself had to be size of her hand as it rested against her chest. Then again the fact it felt weightless made no sense. Regardless she hugged the professor and said "Thankyou for the gift, I love it." She pulled away momentarily "Are you sure there's nothing else you can tell me about it? It looks like a really unusual mask, I wonder which part of Termina it came from."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Shikashi laughed under his breath "Termina folklore is not my area of expertise so I can't tell you anything about it."
"Oh well, it's more fun working these things out yourself." A pleading look appeared on her face "Do you reckon maybe I could go somewhere else in Termina? I'd like to confirm my findings on the Giants by visiting their temples?"
Shikashi's moustache twisted at the thought "The temples!? Those places are far too dangerous, you'd be better off searching the regions near them and talking to the area's dominant race."
"I see, say, that Koume and Kotake you talk about some times seem knowledgeable, can I meet them? Maybe they can help?"
"Perhaps we can hold off the trips until you're a little older, your parents would never forgive me if I let anything bad happen to you." Truthfully Shikashi was more concerned about introducing her to a pair of ancient witches. "It's just you don't know how to protect yourself, there are monsters everywhere outside Clock Town."
Sable attempted to reason with him "True… but, I'm pretty good with a grappling hook so I can climb to safety."
"I don't think that strategy will always work," Shikashi admitted "If I were younger I'd escort you there myself. After all, I was a rather formidable fighter back then."
"Yeah, you travelled all over Termina to write the first cosmic maps."
"So I know how dangerous it can be, I'm not trying to destroy your ambition, I just think you need to be very careful and also realistic about how you pursue it."
Sable nodded back to him, she had to admit the old man had made a very good point about her current predicament. Now it was up to her to find a feasible solution so she could effectively carry on her studies.