Chapter 4: The Keeper's Memory

Serena hated Sundays. Throughout her life, she had heard people complain about Mondays and Wednesdays, but it seemed she stood alone in her distaste for Sunday. And, to be completely honest, she understood completely. Mondays were agonizing, having to revert back to working a good chunk of each day after just being granted much more freedom. Wednesdays weren't much better, though mainly because of that one self-proclaimed jokester who always cheered 'Happy Hump Day!' while grinning ear to ear as if he just said something funny. And of course he would say it every week as if everyone would just forget about it in seven days. That was another pet peeve of hers, but luckily she found many people to agree with her.

But none of that came close to her dread for Sundays. They were always just so agonizingly close to the weekdays that she could never actually enjoy herself the way she could on Saturdays and Friday afternoons. There was a sudden pressure to spend her quickly dwindling free time as preciously as possible. And it wouldn't be so bad if not for a list of minor inconveniences making this impossible. About two years prior the vast majority of her friends, seemingly at the exact same time, began contracting the tragic illness commonly known as pregnancy. These generally resulted in babies, which result in at least eighteen years of being too busy for their amazingly charming friend Serena. Sometimes they could plan an escape for a while, but that was always on Saturdays. So Sundays were lonely days. On her own, she would browse the web (pretty unsatisfying), watch television for a while (nothing was ever on), tidy up her apartment (she kept it clean anyways), or just work (it might as well be Monday then).

Which was why, on Sundays, she usually found herself playing video games all day. In her pyjamas, with her long black hair tied into the messiest of buns, occasionally snacking on something that was either very healthy or could cause immediate hospitalization.

Actually, maybe she did like Sundays.

And of course it was on a Sunday when she found herself in her room, playing on her 3DS while it was still being charged. She was a good way through the Fire Temple, having just defeated the Flare Dancers with the help of her newly acquired Megaton Hammer and the iconic Master Sword. It was hardly a challenge. In fact, so far she had been breezing through Ocarina of Time without any real thought. Probably because it was her all-time favourite game, from her all-time favourite series, by her all-time favourite company. She'd been playing that particular game since she was about ten years old, and continued to play it fifteen years afterwards. Even when she briefly put her controller down in her teenage years, she somehow came back to it later with an eerily perfect memory. She could hunt down all 100 Gold Sculltula's like they were lined up in a row, and quote Sheik's ramblings about time and fate as if said to her a thousand times. It was actually more embarrassing than anything, but she had learned not to talk about it too much in public to avoid embarrassment.

The other Zelda games were no stranger to her either. In her adulthood she grew to admire the earlier classics, like A Link to the Past, The Adventure of Link, and of course the original The Legend of Zelda. She fell in love with the Oracle games, playing Ages more than any other of her hand-held games. She traversed the seas in Wind Waker, took on the form of a beast in Twilight Princess, and soared through the air in Skyward Sword. And of course, how could she forget Link's Awakening, Four Swords Adventures, Minish Cap, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, and A Link Between Worlds? She even recently played the spinoff Hyrule Warriors, which, among other wondrous things, gave her a few glimpses of the only one she never played.

Majora's Mask.

It was actually quite silly at this point. It seemed like everyone, even people who were less devoted to the series, wanted Serena to play Majora's Mask. Even though she remembered it being less popular than Ocarina of Time when it came out, now everyone seemed to be raving about it. Every piece of artwork, fan-made or not, now had a scowling moon, or a wide-eyed mask, or a pair of yellow and purple fairies. Many even claimed it was better than Ocarina. So why wouldn't Serena play it?

In the beginning, it was stubbornness. She actually owned the game when she was younger, but refused to play it. She, being her naive and unadventurous former self, was convinced that Ocarina was the perfect game, and wouldn't waste her time with any other Zelda title. Even the people closest to her couldn't nag her enough to give it a shot.

But after a few years of withholding herself, suddenly it became about principle. Ocarina was her game, and Majora was not, even if she technically still owned it. Even if it was silly in retrospect, the logic for many reasons made sense to her twelve-year-old self. So the old Majora's Mask cartridge was given away, so that other people could still appreciate the game.

It's what Ben would have wanted.

Right?

That was when she noticed the words 'Game Over' floating across the darkened screen. She wasn't sure how it happened. In fact, she hadn't been paying attention to the game at all. Which, she realized, was probably why he died in the first place. Serena did not continue. In fact, she snapped the 3DS shut and set it off to the side of the bed.

Ben loved Majora's Mask. Never to the point where he shut himself out to her or her family, but there was certainly a point where became a bit of an obsession. Every day, at least for a short while, he would go on about the new mask he got, or the side-quest he discovered and completed, or even what mini-game he was improving at. He loved Ocarina of Time as well - it was his introduction to Zelda and video games in general, after all - but it was nothing compared to the raw unmitigated passion he held for Majora's Mask. Looking back at that time with an older mind, there must have been something in it that Ben could really connect with. But whatever it was, Serena would never be able to know, despite probably knowing the boy better than anyone else. They shared everything back then, after all. But she was not a psychologist, and would probably fail horribly if she tried to be one, so without Ben being able to actually speak with her anymore, answers like that were lost forever.

But that didn't mean the passion couldn't be replicated. Which was why she felt no real remorse about selling it years after his death. She remembered specifically that it was bought by an old, cheerful man who wanted to give it to his son, or maybe it was his grandson. She had been more than happy giving it away, and still was, knowing that it would be enjoyed by a young and impressionable mind. And for whatever reason, she could still remember how the elder was obviously blind in one eye, and she couldn't help but think the blind eye was staring at her during the entire transaction. Funny how such insignificant details somehow managed to sneak into long-term memories.

However, all that gave no excuse for avoiding the game altogether, especially considering how the 3DS remake had already been out for nearly five months by then. She had pre-ordered Wind Waker HD fully knowing that she already owned the original, and pounced on Hyrule Warriors despite it being a spinoff. But she still ignored that one solitary game for reasons that just seemed silly and childish now. It was in so way morally wrong to play it. There were no actual principles that needed to be following. The game was in no way sacred or even special. Even back as young preteens Ben would constantly remind her of the two empty save files, so he certainly wouldn't have a problem about her playing it. In fact, he would probably be ashamed that after fifteen years Termina remained unsaved by her.

"Note to self," Serena said out loud, which she insisted was only crazy when she wasn't doing it alone, "Find myself a Majora's Mask cartridge." Then she thought for a moment, and needlessly added, "Or get the 3DS version. That's probably better... But not as genuine. Should I get both, or... no, no, too pricey. Unless I can get both second hand for cheap. But do I really need both, since I won't be playing them back to back? But if I like it and want to replay it, I can test out the other version. But which do I play first? The N64 would be more pure, but it might be outdated and turn me off. But the 3DS might have taken too many liberties and ruined it. Except it's gotten good reviews, so maybe I should just-"

Serena suddenly jumped as she heard a sudden inexplicable juddering noise to her left. For exactly one fourth of a second she panicked, thoughts screaming 'oh god I totally forgot someone was in the room and they saw me talking to myself out of nowhere like a total psycho and they think I'm-' but then she recognized the sound to be her phone clattering against the base of her wooden nightstand, announcing a new text in the most unpleasant way it could. She let out a breath, now doubly glad that she was alone and without witnesses, and reached for her phone.

Ruby: Hey, do you mind picking me up?

Of course it was him. And of course that's what he was texted. Serena found herself smiling as she immediately texted back.

Serena: Why? You get lost again? :)

Ruby was her neighbour, living in the apartment across from her. He'd moved in only shortly after she did, so they managed to bond over it and quickly became good friends. Or maybe they bonded over being young barely-adults who had no idea what they were doing at the time. Or maybe they both were just easily approachable people. But there was a very high chance he started knocking on every door in the apartment asking for a ride downtown and Serena was the first to say yes, cursing her forever. Either way, he was a good friend but really needed to invest in a car of his own already. At least he usually used public transit nowadays.

Ruby: Ha ha ha

Ruby: *that was a sarcastic laugh

Serena snickered at that comment, but her smile faded when the next text arrived.

Ruby: Really not having a great day. Thought I could walk home, but now it might rain. Are you busy?

Serena frowned. She glanced over to the closed 3DS to her right, and then back at her phone.

Serena: Not really. Just chilling at home being lazy. I'll pick you up. Where are you anyways?

About a minute passed before Ruby responded.

Ruby: Not sure the address. Close to that coffee place with the bird on the front

Serena: Why are you over there? You have coffee

Serena: *hate

Ruby: Like I said, I thought I could walk home. Was just visiting a friend

Serena: Ok then. I know where you are. I'll be there asap

Ruby: Thanks so much. I owe you one

Serena turned her phone off and set it back on her nightstand. She began to swing her legs off of her bed, but paused when she actually looked down at herself. She had somehow completely forgotten that she was still in her pyjamas, with her hair in a tangled bun and face devoid of her usual makeup. She held back an unladylike swear, realizing she was nowhere near looking presentable enough to be seen by human eyes. She really, really hated Sundays.

X

As expected, she quickly spotted her friend standing outside the coffee shop, his eyes glancing around for a bit before locking onto her old grey Camry. He took a hand out of his jacket's deep pockets and gave a small wave as she parked as close by as she could. Once her car was still, she gave him a brief wave in return before jumping out from the vehicle and jogging over to the front of the shop.

"Hey," she called over to him with an apologetic smile, "Sorry I took so long. I had some stuff I needed to finish doing first," she technically told the truth, though she dare not say what she was doing. As far as anyone was concerned, she was a fully-functioning adult member of society who wore clothes on a constant basis.

Ruby gave her a small smile, but it left almost as quickly as it came. "It's alright." Then, to her surprise, he extended his hand out towards her. She hadn't noticed that he was holding something small with his left hand. "I got you coffee. Caffè Mocha with Cinnamon Syrup. That's the one you like, right?" His voice sounded tired, but his words sounded genuine. Serena took the brown cup with both her hands, eyes widened in surprise. It was still hot.

"Wow," she said, "I mean, yeah, that's what I usually get. I can't believe you remembered, though." She smiled as she looked up at him.

Ruby just shrugged. "I kind of owe you one, don't I?" Now his voice seemed almost sombre. Serena could tell that there was something wrong. He was never exactly a chatterbox of any kind, but usually he had a bit more to say for himself than he did at that moment. And he often had more of a sense of humour, and would know how to smile and have a good time while in her company. Now it was as if someone had told him that an old friend had passed away. Which, for all she knew, was what actually happened.

"Hey," she spoke in a serious tone, "Is everything alright?"

Ruby paused for a moment. His dark brown eyes seemed to flicker in some distant thought before locking back at her own. "I don't really want to talk about it. It's been kind of a rough day."

Serena frowned. "Oh," was all she could say. She wanted to say more - she wanted to keep on poking and prodding and persisting until every single little problem he ever faced was suddenly squeezed out of him regardless of what he really wanted. She wanted to be his rock even if for no other reason than to be relied on for something. But she knew better. As much as she enjoyed his company, they just weren't those kind of friends. They were the kind of friends that joked around and drove each other places and bought coffee when they had the time. Serena wouldn't mind if their friendship eventually bloomed into something more meaningful, but for now they were this, and staying that way would be just as fine. But that meant respecting his boundaries. Whatever happened didn't matter, because as long as he didn't tell her willingly, she could never know.

But that didn't mean she would ignore him.

Without any real warning, Serena wrapped her arm around Ruby, half-hugging him tightly to her small body. In her mind it seemed like the perfect gesture, but the execution was actually somewhat lacking. First of all, she was still holding her coffee in one hand, so she had to hug him with just one arm while stretching the other away from them both to not spill any on them both. Secondly, the surprise force of the hug made Ruby take a step back, and they both had to reposition themselves awkwardly while still hugging. And lastly, the sudden movement also made something fall out of Ruby's jacket pocket and clatter to the ground.

Ruby pulled away from the hug, picking up the strange object from the ground. Serena backed away from him, blushing at her failed attempt at kindness. "I'm sorry," she said, but Ruby failed to acknowledge her.

However, her embarrassment was soon accompanied by curiosity as she noticed what it was that fell to the ground. It was a cartridge. A Nintendo 64 cartridge to be specific, with a dull golden casing. She found herself taking a step closer, trying to make out the title of the game. "Oh, what's that?" she asked him as he brushed away the dirt and dust on the casing.

But Ruby seemed to misunderstand her. "It's a game. I got it from, um, a friend of mine."

Serena rolled her eyes, still trying to get a good look at the game's title. It seemed like the original sticker had been ripped off, but there was still some sort of writing on it. "No, what I meant was-"

No.

It couldn't be.

The game.

That game.

But it wasn't just the game. It was the writing. Hiswriting.

"I can't believe you're ripping the sticker off," she said with her arms crossed, looking down at the young boy. The boy was crouched on the floor, holding a cartridge with golden casing. His short fingernails slowly picked away at the corner of the sticker, slowly peeling it away from the surface it was stuck to.

Ben looked up at her, his blue eyes hardened with purpose. "It's already falling off," he argued, "I'm just speeding things up. It'll look better this way, anyways."

Serena rolled her eyes. "You could just glue the corners back on, you know. That would actually make it look better."

A clever smirk began to grow on the child's face. It was a smirk he wore often, usually when he was about to do something he knew was wrong. "Too bad it's already off then." And then, pinching the peeled back corner between his fingers, he jerked his hand forwards, sending the sticker flying from its old home. A few flecks of white remained on the base of the cartridge, but otherwise it was completely naked.

"I can't believe you," she pretended to be frustrated, but in reality she expected nothing else. Ben was a being of pure stubbornness. Tell him not to do something, and he'll do it twice. "Now it just looks like every game ever. How will we know which one it is now?"

Ben's smirk softened into a gentler smile. "I'm way ahead of you," he said, and then out of his pocket he pulled a thick black Sharpie marker. He turned his gaze back to the cartridge, and without any grandeur he began to spell out a single word - the only word it really needed.

"Majora," Serena said out loud. "You have Majora's Mask." She could hardly believe her eyes. It looked just like his writing. The way it did all those years ago. It couldn't be the same cartridge. Except that it could. It absolutely could.

"Yeah," said Ruby, slipping the cartridge back into his jacket pocket. "It's, uh, it belongs to a friend of mine, but he's letting me borrow it. Just for a while."

"Oh," she muttered, trying to snap herself out of her own trance, "That's good. I bet you'll like it. It's a great game," she said, though she would have no way of knowing if it was actually 'great' or not, but she believed every word she said.

Ruby's eyes narrowed. "Are you feeling okay, Serena? You seem kinda off right now," he said with concern. Serena shook her head.

"No, no. Just tired, I think. C'mon, we'd better get to the car. You were probably right about the rain."

She wanted to say more. She wanted him to poke and prod and persist until every problem was suddenly squeezed out of her. She wanted to have him be her rock even if for no other reason than to have something to rely on. But she knew better. They just weren't the kind of friends that did those things.

He wasn't Ben.