Fan Fiction Friday: The Man Behind the Masks – Part 25a

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Waking up in a strange bed was becoming an unhealthy habit. I heard bubbling and popping coming from somewhere over my shoulder. The slightly askew shelves on the grey wall housed an enormous ammonite fossil, comb shell and possibly the largest stuffed crab I had ever seen. A fish skeleton and harpoon were mounted on the other side which I found to be in rather poor taste. Above, the metal lamp creaked as it swung from a chain casting the room in curious shadow.

“Oh good,” a wavery, shaky voice said. “Here, drink this.”

The steaming cup brought much-needed warmth. I took a sip before promptly spitting out the concoction onto the bedspread. “What is this?” I spluttered.

“How is it? I’ve been mixing Lake Hylia’s water with various unusual compounds.” A crooked set of teeth grinned at me. “That sample was taken from behind the waterfall and seasoned with spicy peppers. Doesn’t half give a kick, eh? Have some more, it’s good stuff. Keeps you healthy and mentally sharp.”

“No, thank you. Mr…”

“Doctor Mizumi, marine biologist for my sins. And you would be Ronri, the moron who went to fight a dragon and nearly died, again. Ho ho ho!” He chuckled, causing the blue skull cap he wore to nearly fall off.

I coughed. “That’s quite the introduction Yasei has made for me. Is she alright? Oh! The Watarara?”

“Yes, yes,” Mizumi soothed. “All fine, a few scrapes nothing more. The Chieftess sends her thanks by the way.”

“Where is she? I had some questions about Akisin.”

“Well, Elrora mentioned something about nesting season and had to leave with the flock.”

“Oh.” I hung my head.

“Regarding questions, I do have a few of my own.” Thin, bony hands tugged open my nightshirt collar. “We went through countless bandages to stop the bleeding; thought you’d be scarred for life. Yet…” He jabbed at my solar plexus. “…what happened here?”

I pat down my chest and froze. “I don’t have an answer for you. I’ve always healed fast. Whether I stab my finger with a needle, tumble from a wagon or get kicked in the ribs it doesn’t matter. By the next day, my injuries are gone.”

“I see, curious, as are those portal thingies and the dragon of course.”

“Heh, heh, you saw all that?” I smoothed out the creases from my blanket. “You won’t tell anyone will you?”

“Hmm, it’s rather sad about that tree. It grew here before I even built my laboratory. Apparently, Queen Zora likes to watch the leaves change colour and make autumnal crowns, wreaths and bunting – that sort of thing. The King won’t be happy.”

“Please, Yasei is counting on her Zora contact. I don’t want to cause more trouble for her.”

“Settle down, son. I won’t dob you in. Who would listen to the ramblings of an old man anyway?” He pushed his spectacles further up his nose. “I’ve lived here for sixty years. I’ve seen many fantastical, if unexplainable, phenomena at Lake Hylia. This place is almost like a lightning rod for it.”

“Thank you, Dr Mizumi. I must apologize for your late delivery as well. It wasn’t Yasei’s fault. We were attacked by the Gerudo.”

The biologist hummed. “You’re quite the pair. Always worrying about the other.” He tucked his arms behind his back and shuffled to the other side of the room. Glass bottles of varying shapes and sizes cluttered the wooden desk there. A particularly large one contained a strange green liquid, sea urchins and a metal pipe that appeared to be some form of experiment. The small aquarium next to it housed twin squid that bobbed up and down.

He picked up a scroll with a deep sigh. “I was disappointed, fresh frog eyeballs are delicious – especially when fried in butter.”

I threw off the blanket. “I’ll catch some more.”

“Never mind that.” He shook his head. “Let’s get you decent. There’s a chest up in the observatory tower, should have a few things from my younger days. Uhoy hoy hoo houy hoy! Can’t promise about the quality though – patched and a little musty.”

“Honestly, anything will be an improvement. The pants weren’t covering up much anyway.” A sudden thought came to mind. “I’m sure I had a gold necklace?”

Mizumi slid a hand into the pocket of his long white shirt. “Yasei said you might ask for that and what else? Purple slippers…  I’ll say this for the Gerudo, their fashion sense is very odd.” He pressed the necklace into my palm and a piece of honey candy. “You might need this. Should have seen her face when I explained it was an engagement collar.”

You didn’t? I cringed. That will be a fun conversation.   

Satisfied that my injuries had healed, Mizumi suggested some fresh air. I waved goodbye to the orange octopus in the larger aquarium. Its shining black eyes stared back sadly as I closed the door.

Outside, an enthusiastic sign read: ‘Lakeside Laboratory. Daily trying to get to the bottom of the mysteries of Lake Hylia!’

So, despite everything, I made it here at last.

In the distance, the water sparkled and lapped gently at the grassy bank. To the east, I spotted the pitiful water birch, scratched and torn. Its remaining branches reached out like grasping fingers, probably wondering where the treetop had gone. Scattered green leaves floated on the surface, the only clue of what had once been. My face greeted the sun. Far more forgiving in this part of Hyrule than the scorching desert. With chaos forgotten, my shoulders sagged in relief.

A sharp bark disturbed the peace. I turned, saw the scarecrows in floppy wide brim hats and red scarves. There’s tilted earth, sown with turnips and sweetcorn. Yasei pulls up weeds, a big pile already amassed at her feet. Yellow butterflies dance in her hair as she shoos them away. Suddenly I can’t stop smiling. A desire to capture this moment in my brain prevents me from moving. In such rare respite, I feel utterly content.

Featured art: Alison Patten via Canva.com

Alison Otwl continues her Fan Fiction here at Zelda Dungeon. She likes reading manga and collecting Japanese wind chimes. Her favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time. Check out more of her fanfiction over at: Otwl.