The Skull Kid and the Mask
Part 2
Skull Kid stood in a spotlight before a great tree with a frighteningly evil face, a few other Skull Kids atop a writhed branch. Two stern Moblins guarded behind the horrible tree, while a pair of rascally Wolfos awaited orders, one looking at the other with his tongue hanging out.
"You captured the Kokiri Girl?" asked the horrible tree, Skull Kid silently staring acknowledgement. "Well done, Skull Kid! Now we can get revenge on the Great Deku Tree."
The perched Skull Kids chuckled, "HEH HEH HEH."
"HEH HEH HEH." One of them goose walked on the spot. The center one spun over and under again and again, feet hooked around the branch. The third one had his arms over the branch, as if hiding behind it.
The frightening great tree spoke, "He used to be in charge in these woods long, long ago... ...and I still hate him!" He aggressively leaned forth. FSHOOM! "I'm going to prove that he's no match for me, that he's a weakling next the Baga Tree!" His foliage shot down, stabbing into the ground.
One Wolfos leapt away, his friend, however, wasn't so lucky. The other jumped upwards, knees bent, paws on his rear, leafy blade in his behind. "YIP YIP!"
The perched Skull Kids didn't care, none of them hit by any leaf spikes.
Skull Kid just blankly stared. "Boss... The Kokiri stay like little kids their whole lives, right?" A memory of child Link popped in Skull Kid's mind. "So what do you mean about him growing up?"
The Baga Tree raised a gnarly, woody claw to his mouth. "Well, if you must know... ...He's not really a Kokiri. He came from outside."
Skull Kid's mouth pursed. "Outside...?"
"The Great Deku Tree broke the rules by taking him in. Unforgivable!" Baga Tree furiously opened his mouth, hull creaking as his woody fangs and tusks readied to bite. "I can see the future. He will become an adult..."
The perched Skull Kids stopped fooling around, their heads jolting to attention. "An adult?" "Really?"
Baga Tree snarled, "...And a hero..."
Skull Kid thought of the child Link, innocently happy. The image of a sinister adult Link, pointing a regal blade, pierced his mind.
"...And he will destroy us!"
Skull Kid trembled, mouth dropping, sparkling eyes unable to mask his terror. He fell facedown, clutching his head, feet kicking into the ground. "AAAA! I hate adults!"
The horrible tree pointed his woody claw at Skull Kid. "That's right. That's why we must destroy him now!"
Skull Kid paused, his eyes glowing fiercely. "Destroy..."
Baga Tree's horrible visage creaked into a menacing glare. "Before the Great Deku Tree can interfere. HEH HEH..."
Meanwhile, Saria sat, knees up, in a small cave barred by crisscrossed poles. She lifted her chin. "Link..."
Link desperately ran deeper in the woods, mask under his arm, other hand amplifying his calls, "Saria! Saria!"
He stood, hands open at either side of his mouth. "SARIA!" His sharp, high-pitched voice echoed, yet nobody called.
He was alone amid large trees which seemed a bit familiar. He grumpily sat against a tree, one knee up, Prince Mask in hand. "What if the Skull Kid really does it..."
He nervously pondered. If Saria was gone... ...Would I be completely alone?
Holding the Prince Mask between his hands, Link just stared at it. Frowning, eyes slightly closed, his lips quivered. He almot cried. "Darn it!" He got up, throwing the mask down.
WHACK!
Link reared gasping, a dart stuck in the tree by his face. He looked up. "Skull Kid!"
The strange child spun through the air, shooting darts.
"Where'd you take Saria?!" Link angrily trudged while the projectiles went underfoot, FWIP FWIP THUNK!
Skull Kid's eyes burned like stars. "I hate... ...adults. DESTROY!"
THUNK! Link nearly got shot in the head. "Oh-whoa!" He writhed and leaned, dodging darts here and there. He slipped across the grass. "Ow!" His back thudded into the ground.
Skull Kid stepped in, knees bent, flute aimed at a frightened boy.
Link didn't blink. "Skull Kid, why?" He stared in the flute, Skull Kid's eyes reflecting Link's startled face. "I thought we were friends... Why?"
Skull Kid's eyes flashed. He lowered his flute. "Uh... ...G-G-GN..." He leapt away.
Link blinked. "...Uh..." He raised a knee, hand on it, pausing. "Skull Kid?" Link stood, surprised.
Skull Kid rushed past shrubs and trees. SHFF SHFF SHFF! His eyes shone normally, without spiky auras. What does his face remind me of?
Something entered his mind, the back view of a boy entering a bright forest...
His left eye glowed like a star, right eye not as radiant. He fell to his knees, clutching his head. What are these strange memories? I don't know. I don't know... "I don't know!"
The forest was quiet, cloudy sky, no birds.
Saria remained imprisoned. She breathed in then sighed out.
Felicia fluttered around the poles. "Maybe if I touch this, it'll fall out? Or this? Maybe I'll try that..."
Expressionless, Saria wrapped her arms under her raised knees, eyes partly closed.
Felicia flew in, hovering behind Saria. "Umm, I couldn't..."
Something caught the girl's attention. KLAK! She leaned away at an angle, eyes big, mouth open. She went on her knees. "Wh-What?"
Skull Kid removed the barricade. "Run away." He pointed his free hand leftward. "Go find him."
Saria beamed with joy. "Skull Kid, I knew you were a friend!"
He tossed the barricade aside.
She stepped out, looking side to side, Felicia flying low. "B-But you've got a boss, right? Won't it be bad if he finds out?"
He shook his hand. "Never mind. Hurry! And don't come back!"
Saria worriedly looked at him as she began her escape, Skull Kid standing still and watching her go...
Another Skull Kid leaned from around a tree... "HEE HEE HEE."
The Baga Tree pointed his gnarly claw. "She escaped. The Kokiri girl escaped." A fell breeze blew in the shape of wolves. "Spirits of the forest, take heed! Don't let the girl away! Catch her!"
The ghostly wind formed into two Wolfos, a smug beast's tongue partly sticking out between his front teeth. "GRRRRR..."
Baga Tree's voice boomed, "And destroy that outsider!" The Moblin obeyed with stern discipline.
The other Skull Kids bounced forth. "Defeat adult!" "HEE HEE!" "Defeat adult!"
"Hold on!"
Skull Kid was hooked off the ground. Legs bicycling in the air, Skull Kid found himself held by the Baga Tree's woody claw.
"Not you, Skull Kid."
Skull Kid looked back. "Hee? Hee hee... Why?"
Baga Tree held Skull Kid beside him. "I think you know why."
"Hee hee." Smiling big, eyes radiant, Skull Kid raised his arms, hands open, kicking his legs a little.
"Hee..." Skull Kid's expression faded into guilt. Despite being made of straw, his forehead sweat a little. "Hee hee." He leaned back, waving his hands in denial. "No, it wasn't me. I didn't do anything! Hee... Hee... I would never let them go! Hee hee heeee!"
"You are a traitor!"
FSHOOM! Skull Kid was hurled into the air, seemingly mesmerized.
He crashed on his back, body crackling like dried sticks. He lied there, ghostly wind in the shape of wolves and bulldogs flowing overhead.
The haunting spirits spoke, "Destroy the outsider." "Get him now while he's small and weak." "Don't let him grow up!"
After the spirits passed, Skull Kid's hand twitched. He sat up, head bobbling to and fro. Body parts twitching, he awkwardly scuttled off...
A Gossip Stone stared stupidly.
Link raised a big rock overhead. "Gossip Stone... They say you know..." WHAM! The rock bounced off the odd statue, which wobbled wildly. "...All kinds of gossip."
"Mido pretends he's the boss of the Kokiri, but he still wets the bed." The Gossip Stone's wobbling subsided. "The Great Deku Tree worries because he can't scratch his own back."
Link just stared, unimpressed. He picked up the big rock again. "Wrong kind of gossip!" WHAM! "Tell me about the monsters of the forest... And where Saria is!"
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"The Baga Tree thinks he's equal to the Great Deku Tree but has never beaten him." It's wobbling slowed. "Anyone who stays in the forest turns into a Skull Kid."
Worried, Link asked, "A Skull Kid?"
"Skull Kids are what's left of children who got lost in the forest."
"W-What's left? Tell me more..."
"EEEEK!"
Link looked over. "That's Saria!"
The Gossip Stone uselessly was...just existing. "Oh, yes... Saria escaped. But she's being chased by a giant monster."
"Now you tell me?"
FWOOSH!
Throat dry and sore, lungs heaving painfully, Saria sprinted while leaning forwards, mouth wide open, Felicia close behind.
Paws thudding, two wild-eyed, immense Wolfos pursued her, tongues hanging. "GRR RRR!"
Saria ran hard, swerving between trees. She heard their claws scrape against rock, click against logs, the beasts foaming at the mouths. Their saliva sometimes flicked onto Saria's hair, she even smelled their bad breath...
SHOOP!
"Saria!" Link leapt down from above. "I need some kind of weapon to fight with... ...anything..." He noticed a Deku Stick sticking up from the ground.
Saria gasped, reaching a dead-end blocked by a log too big to leap over, Felicia going past without realizing Saria hadn't. She turned around, hands against the log.
"GRR RR!" The Wolfos hungrily charged, tongue hanging out sideways.
Saria's bones clenched yet her muscles felt like jelly. Her backhand went over her wide-open mouth, a teardrop rolling down her shiny eye. Head low, eyes shut, she balled her hands under her chin, leaning back as Felicia harmlessly hovered...
WHAMO!
Link had leapt, legs apart mid-air, furiously slamming a Deku Stick into the big Wolfos' muzzle.
KLOMP!
The impact forced the Wolfos' mouth closed, teeth shutting before Saria.
Saria burst with joy as her savior landed. "Link!"
"GRRR!" CHOMP! CHOMP!
Link thrust his stick into the Wolfos' mouth, the beast too dumb to realize, or perhaps his dog brain reactivated?
Leaning back, Link struggled. "Oops! I guess a stick's not good enough!"
Ears back, the Wolfos glared as he chewed the stick. CHOMP CHOMP! Sparks flew...
Link frowned. "I got it!" It's fang are rubbing against the stick and send out sparks?! Link pushed the stick further. "Here! Chew on it more! More!"
Smoke appeared. Crackle, crackle...
! !
"HOIT!" Both paws over his mouth, eyes big, the Wolfos leapt vertically, knees bent, tail straight.
Link gripped the flaming stick. "A torch!"
SPURT. WIGGLE... An evil root, shaped into both the Baga Tree's hand and face, emerged from the ground, pointing at the children. SLITHER, SLITHER...
Saria stood behind Link as he aggressively stuck his torch out. He threatened, "Watch out! It's hot!" The first Wolfos' fur bristled, pausing in a crawling position, his friend staring stupidly, wondering how fire came.
The Baga Tree hand spread his fingers, FHSOOM!
Gasping, Link turned as leafy blades shot towards him—someone jumped across him, eyes glowing, the leafy spikes digging into the airborne creature.
Link's eyes stiffened. His savior went limp mid-air then fell, expression blank, yet his mouth made him look seemingly...satisfied.
"Skull Kid!" Link dropped his torch, kneeling over his friend.
Saria ran over, teardrops squeezing down her eyes. Fist over her mouth, she leaned over, terribly concerned. "He set me free earlier."
Scraped and pierced, Skull Kid blankly stared up. "...A...face. Hee hee... Hee. You gave me... I was happy..."
Link's brow tightened, some sweat trickling from his forehead. He slowly turned his head, a grisly grin looming from a tree, upper half spiraling off like some nightmare.
"That traitor got in my way!" Baga Tree stated. "I'll take care of you once and for all!" His two Wolfos arrogantly growled.
Saria knelt over Skull Kid, hands over him. She noticed Link standing sternly, Deku Stick in hand. His blood hot, the child wanted revenge.
Link swung mightily. "YAAAAAH!" SMAKKK!
The Baga Tree leaned aside from the blow, sinister visage now ridiculously reformed, his mouth open vertically.
The arc of Link's swung finished; the burning tip snapped off. "Uh..." He took a closer look, quite startled. "Uh-oh. It broke!"
Baga Tree's canopy rustled. "Urg..." He straightened himself upright, hull cracking aloud until his horrible appearance returned. "Now I'll get you, brat!"
Arms apart and back, Link braced himself, unsure of what to do.
Saria carried Skull Kid as if he were a broken doll. "Link!"
Elsewhere, Mido and his Kokiri boys huffed and puffed until they dropped. Even their fairies were exhausted, wings wilted.
Mido landed on his bottom, hands on the grass, tongue dangling. "Whew!"
The stumpy boy was flat on his back. "Ugh..."
"I'm beat! I can't take another step!" a boy complained, his chin on Mido's leg, tongue out.
Mido panted. "How deep does this forest go?" He moved his hand back, touching something. "Huh?" He held it to his face. "It's Link's prince mask. It was here."
The three other boys reared their heads, mouths open as they cried. "Forget about the mask!" "If we can't find a way out of here, we're through!" "Waah!" "Waah!"
"EEEEEK!"
"GRRRR!"
Mido looked over.
! !
Saria carried Skull Kid behind Link, who was armed with nothing but a broken stick, surrounded by monsters: A Moblin spearman behind them, snarling Wolfos at their flanks and front, Baga Tree behind his minions.
Link batted back his foes, bruised and scraped, heavily heaving. Nevertheless, tive spears pointed at them, three seemingly wielded by Wolfos. Link and Saria felt their skin crawl, hearts beating hard, heavily weighed down by fear.
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Masked forest warriors charged, brandishing unimposing yet frightening sticks.
The Moblins lost their disciplined, spears tilted up from surprise. The Wolfos stuck their forepaws out, bodies lowered, fur raised. Baga Tree's eyes went huge in pure terror.
"YAAH!" Somehow, Mido delivered and upside-down dropkick into the Baga Tree's face.
Baga Tree's face smooshed. "Ow! Right in the same spot!"
A large, one-eyed beetle emerged from Baga Tree's mouth. Creep! It fell. Klak!
Link smiled big. "Mido!"
Saria, on her knees, had a face of joy.
"Ta-dah!" Mido stood princely, slightly lifting his mask, his boys posing dramatically. "When I do it, I really do it!"
The one-eyed beetle scuttled away. PEEK PEEK...
"Beware, monsters!" stated Mido, "Your opponent is a real prince!" He braced himself, inadvertently stepping upon the beetle, KRUNCH! Mido pointed his stick at the evil tree but had a moment of confusion. The Baga Tree had paused, the Wolfos beside him bored out of his mind.
"AAAGH!" The Baga Tree's form stretched and blurred. "My magical power is fading! Why?" FSSSHH FSSSHH. His root-like growths shriveled back into the earth, his two Moblins and three Wolfos fading away like exhaled breath. "I was so close! I was almost the king of the forest..." He began shrinking.
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The Baga Tree returned his his true self, a rather regular tree with leafy foliage.
The Kokiris lifted their masks. "The monster disappeared."
"Why? What happened?" asked Link.
Mido swung his fist down disappointingly. "I know!" His heel raised. "It was because of my awesomeness... ...maybe."
"Anyway, we won! Banzai!" The children celebrated victory, the beetle lying dead with a tiny halo.
But...
Link gasped. "Hang in there, Skull Kid! Don't die!" His eyes became shiny. "We just became friends!"
The children gathered around him, though he wasn't moving.
Expressionless, the toy-like creature pondered. "Hee hee... Hee..." Something rebounded in his mind. "What't this? More memories!"
Skull Kid's memory revealed a scene of a picnic. Plates, food, a corked bottle... A silhouette of a woman called after the dark outline of a boy running away.
"... ... ...!"
The boy kept running.
"Don't go into the forest. You'll get lost."
"I understand, Mama!" He ran deeper. "Look at all those fairies! I'm gonna catch one!"
He never caught any. Soon, his surroundings became unfamiliar.
"W-Where am I? It's dark. It's cold."
He wandered the forest, lost and alone. "Papa! Mama!"
"Nobody answered. Nobody came.
It was so dark and I was scared.
That's why I thought that if I made my face pitch black, I wouldn't be scared anymore.
In the darkness I can feel safe."
Skull Kid's vision partly cleared, Link leaning over him.
"Here, I'll give you this." Link presented the Prince Mask. He slid his hand across his mouth, quite pleased.
The stumpy boy looked up, a glowing sphere landing between his mouth and nose.
"Fairy balls!" a Kokiri cried.
Mido looked up at the undulating beauties, quite happy. "The festival has started... Great Deku Tree!"
Many of such spheres appeared, floating everywhere, like a bubble bath but without the bathing. The Kokiris' fairies swerved with the magical sights, Felicia sitting on one.
Link looked up at the precious things, quite enthralled. Maybe one of them will become my fairy...
Skull Kid remained unmoving on the ground.
Saria put her ocarina to her lips, playing slowly and deeply, the ethereal spheres bouncing off each other.
Skull Kid raised his hands. "Oh... ...Pretty!" He wept, undead eyes pouring tears of the soul. "How pretty... How nice..." He went limp.
"Skull Kid!" Link cried, putting his hand on Skull Kid's body.
"Don't worry..." a heavy voice resounded from faraway.
Saria lowered her ocarina. "Great Deku Tree?"
"The Skull Kid won't die just from those wounds."
Mido's face seem to say, Oh, well obviously...
Link was somewhat surprised. "You were watching the whole time?!"
"Nothing in the forest escapes my eyes. I'm sure he's enjoying a nice dream."
Skull Kid lied motionlessly.
"But that bug-like thing that possessed the Baga Tree... ...leaves me with a dark, worried feeling."
Link opened his hand towards his boss. "Mido, thanks for helping!"
"Yeah, you were cool!" Saria complimented.
Mido paused with surprise, unsure of how to react. He rubbed his nose with his backhand. "W-Well you did good, too! Sort of."
Link offered a firm handshake. Mido accepted with a one-eyed grin.
Felicia swooped in, chiming. "C'mon! We've got a festival to attend!"
"Beware monsters!" Prince Mido warned, posing with his sword on stage.
"My prince!" Princess Saria exclaimed, kneeling by him.
Their play occurred in front of the Great Deku Tree, many onlookers and their fairies around the stage.
"The fairy prince guards the forest's peace...and its princess!"
A monstrous Link, wearing a Skull Mask and donning a full-body straw garment, stood his ground before his foe. "Humph. It is you who will be driven out!"
Two Kokiri drummers played dramatically, T-TUM TUM. The stumpy boy collided his cymbals, CRASH!
One drummer, rather unimpressed and resisting the urge to snicker, remarked, "Link's acting is really wooden..."
Mido leapt—once, twice! "YAAH! YAAH!" He went through Link's guard, the monster gasping—defeated! Eyes shut, Mido grinned. "Aha! Gotcha!"
Laughing, Link stuck a leg up and fell backwards, dropping his sword behind himself. "Oh no! I'm done for!"
Prince Mido stood, sternly and triumphant, fist raised. Princess Saria knelt by him, eyes closed and her hands crossed over her chest; gentle femininity embodied.
After much music and drama befitting for children, at first act of the play ended to the applause of the audience.
Link descended from the stage ladder, looking back when he noticed two girls.
Fado, caped, asked, "Why did Link give the role of the prince to Mido?"
A short Kokiri girl, queenly dressed, mask up, remarked, "We wanted to see Link as the prince! Boo boo..."
Link took his Skull Mask off. "Because that mask suits Mido better!" Still smiling, he admitted, "I'm still pretty jealous though."
Link began walking off. "I wonder what the Skull Kid's doing about now?"
Link and Saria, Mido and his two friends, returned to the Skull Kid's tree. With the Baga Tree reverted to his natural form, his dark magic no longer pervaded the Lost Woods.
"You're really not going to come to the festival?"
"No," Skull Kid replied. "But I'll be here playing the flute and thinking of you. I like that better."
A little hurt but still affectionate, Link presented the Prince Mask. "Well then, here..."
Saria smiled pleasantly, her hands behind her back.
"Hey!" Mido exclaimed, "Without that, we can't have the play!"
Skull Kid Pointed at Mido. "Not that one... I... ...I like that face better."
Link looked back.
Mido looked at the Skull Mask on his side. "Huh?!" Although he hated the mask, Skull Kid clearly didn't. Mido handed the Skull Mask to Skull Kid.
"It's a very stylish mask. Hee hee! I like it." Slightly grooving already, flute in one hand, Skull Kid gave a thumbs up with the other. "I bet I look stronger now!" He flipped atop his tree, jigging in the manner of Skull Kids. "I'm gonna show it off to my buddies!" He fluted away to his undead heart's unending excitement...
Link and the other Kokiri returned to the Great Deku Tree. While helping reorganise the next scene of the play, Link had a feeling, turning to the forest guardian.
Wooden body creaking, Deku Tree pondered. He quietly said, "Link, I wish to tell you this personally. About your encounter with the Baga Tree and his monsters..."
Link held his breath. Am I in trouble?
"Well done, Link! That Deku Stick is strong... ...But I wouldn't have thought of setting it on fire. It seems you've grown up a little."
Smiling, Link bowed.
"Link!" Saria called, waving to get his attention. He scurried over to help setup the stage...
The Kokiris celebrated very much. Boys performed headstands and flips. Mido ran around with the Prince Mask held high. Fado and the headband-wearing girl danced. Link ran around action rolling. Saria played her ocarina. The stumpy boy stuck his rear back.
The fairies and insects each and all said that there was something unusual at that year's Deku Festival...
The sun rose and fell three times, and the festival dancing continued...especially with Fado and the headband girl.
The bright sound of a flute could be heard coming from deep in the forest... ...Making them feel as if someone else was participating in the festival.
The fluting notes of other Skull Kids drifted across the air.
Skull Kid stood on his tree, flute in one hand, other hand pointing to the Skull Mask he wore. "All my friends like my mask! Hee hee hee!"