Fan Fiction Friday: The Man Behind The Masks – Part 6

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Years later, my arms were full to bursting with groceries as I followed Akisin around Castle Town. The sky was ashen grey, threatening with rain that never fell, and the wind howled down the alleyways making the shutters clatter. Trade was quiet these days, not so many Hylians bringing their much-needed purses to keep the economy turning.

“Damn rumors, making everyone skittish,” Akisin muttered. “Doesn’t help with that General Impa trying to drum up new recruits either.”

I had seen the infamous woman marching around the square. Shaking hands with an iron grip that left potential soldiers smarting. “She is rather odd, especially those red eyes…”

My elderly friend smirked. “That’s the Shiekah for yer, but I tell you what, the Royal Family are damn lucky to have them on their side. I dread to think what might happen if they were the enemy.” She struck the large grey stone with her mallet.

A Gossip Stone, I recalled from Guru-Guru. But why on Hyrule do they laugh like that when you hit them? 

The Gossip Stone shook and wobbled like a jelly.  “BOINNG! BOINNG! The current time is: 12.00!”

We sat for a while by the fountain, contemplating the threat of war. Tensions had heightened between all races across the land, ever since the news of the Sacred Realm had spread. According to legend, the Sacred Realm was meant to be the resting place of the Triforce, a sort of holy world connected to Hyrule.

“Why do you think everyone seeks the Sacred Realm?”

Akisin pulled a face. “Not this again.”

“You were the one who prophesied about civil unrest and war.”

“Fine, fine, but that didn’t mean I wanted to be right. War isn’t a cake walk, no matter how big or how tough a kingdom might think it is.” She leaned heavily on her walking stick and sighed. “Why do they look for it? Power, I dare say. A good heart creates paradise if they touch it and a bad heart creates a world of utter evil, how could man could resist such temptation?”

“I could, power is dangerous.”

“My, my, how very philosophical we are this morning,” Akisin said as she picked wax out of her ears. “Eighteen going on eighty, the way you talk sometimes. I’m meant to be the old codger round here, not you!”

“I have you know I respect your elderly rights; to claim to know far more than me, rant about how much better Hyrule was in the ‘olden’ days and moan about aching joints. How could I possibly take that away from you?”

She hissed out a laugh and took my hand. “And you’ve become a half decent carpenter, even though you’ve got zip to show for it.”

Touché. I had to admit, the carpenter’s annoying observations were always right. What should have been a map of blisters, splinters and calloused skin on my palms were perfectly smooth and plump. Akisin suggested my powers had something to do with it, self-preservation taken to the next level. Powers I still had no idea how to control.

“Ah, a letter.” She plucked the blue envelope from my chest pocket. “Writing to that girl from home, I suppose? Why don’t you ever invite her to Castle Town, eh? I’m dying to get a look at her.”

I snatched it back instantly. “There’s far too much going on here, or did you forget we’re moving to the main square next week?” My gaze rested on the ‘sold’ sign above the empty shop ready to become our future enterprise. I had already decided on the decor: gigantic multi-colored glitter balls suspended from the ceiling, bright carpets and Swift Violets dotted about the place. “I want Yasei to see the grand opening, not a mess of boxes and bags and…Oh, good grief, what if it all goes wrong?”

“Stop being such a doomsayer, we’ve worked our socks off to make this happen, give or take a few mishaps. And with the Goddesses willing, The Happy Mask Shop will open on time, you’ll see.”

She gave the Gossip Stone another smack.

“BOINNG! BOINNG! The current time is: 12.30!”

Upon posting my letter, I attempted to re balance the groceries. “I wonder if he’s at the workshop again. He was sawing a barrel organ in half the other day and a phonograph. What do you call such a bizarre instrument? A barrel-graph? A phono-organ? I do wish he would make up his mind.”

Unfortunately, as the store bell jingled, Guru-Guru was nowhere in sight.

“Have you fallen asleep again?” Akisin bawled up the stairs.

I placed the brown paper bags on the worktop and listened. Guru-Guru had taken more and more to burning the midnight oil these days, which meant he often overslept.

“Guru-Guru?” I tried again, but the musician was as silent as a grave. “Do you think he might be ill?”

Akisin seized the mop bucket, still half full of dirty water from this morning. A demonic grin formed on her thin lips as she flew up the stairs. “I can give him something to be sick about.”

“Wait, you can’t just barge in!”

“Watch me,” she snapped giving the door an almighty kick. “Get up, you lazy –” Akisin stopped in her tracks. “What the Ganon, is going on here?”

The bed was pristine, all sheets tucked and correct. This was a miracle in itself, but it wasn’t just the bed. The windows sparkled and I could actually see the wooden floor boards, no longer hidden beneath balls of screwed up paper. Guru-Guru’s writing desk was also immaculate. The usual mountain of stained coffee mugs and pencils with chewed off ends were nowhere in sight. There was however a note.

“Gone to join King Hyrule’s army?” I turned the note over and back again.

Akisin swore as she turned out the drawers. “Empty and empty. I’m gonna kill him, that’s if he doesn’t get run through with a sword first.” Her voice rose as she paced up and down. “He never said a word about fighting for king and kingdom. He isn’t even old enough to join the blinking army.”

“Yelling will not help.” I gave a wry smile.

She threw her hands up in disgust. “Then what do you suggest?”

“This will be a simple misunderstanding. Leave it to me, I shall bring him back.”

Akisin seemed ready to argue, but thought better of it. “Fine, he’s more likely to listen to you anyway.” She crossed her arms before adding. “But don’t do anything stupid.”

By the castle gatehouse, a large green tent stood with a small queue. A recruitment poster depicting a Hylian soldier in full armor loomed over the proceedings. He was tall, athletic, clean shaven and sporting one of those cocky grins that invited adoration. I looked down the line at the potential recruits; one man with an arm in a sling, there was a beanpole of a lad, another man blowing his nose and the last had a beard so long it graced the floor.

Goodness, the army must be low on numbers, I mused, striding past the others and over to the guard hunched over a large, brown book.

“Hey, what do you think you’re doing?” Mr Long Beard cried out.

“So sorry, I have an emergency that simply cannot wait.”

The men continued to give me the evils as I waited for the attention of the recruitment officer. He tipped his helmet back slightly with his thumb and then went back to his book.

“I’m all for eager men wanting to serve King Hyrule, but you’re going to the same place you know.”

I rubbed my hands together and laughed. “Oh, I am not here to join the army. I just need to talk to someone.”

His quill snapped. “Does this look like a social club to you?”

“Well of course not, but-”

“If you want to get in, you have sign up.” The recruitment officer’s right eyebrow was twitching now. He took out a fresh quill and jabbed it into the ink.

I simply could not understand why an officer of the king would be so unhelpful. “Sir, the person I am looking for should not even be here.”

“Is that right, you family?”

“Not exactly…” I had to admit. “Please, Guru-Guru is his name. He’s about this height and likes to sing.”

“Oh, you mean the music man?” He started to laugh. “Well, that explains a lot. Yeah, he signed up this morning with his music box thingy. Wanted to audition for the military band.”

An audition? My blood ran cold. It would explain why he had vacated his room so suddenly. There are army musicians but surely, he must realize that fighting is still involved?

I clamped both hands over my temples, shaking with disbelief. “But he is underage!”

This didn’t faze the older man in the slightest. “Give me a second and I’ll dig out the paperwork; Graham… Gregory…” He leafed through the pages, his grimy finger scanning until it came to a stop. A few seconds later, a roll of parchment was retrieved. “Here we are, Guru-Guru — says he got consent from a Ms Daiku.” He turned it around to face me. “And that there, is the signature.”

There was indeed a scrawled name, which in the right light or perhaps held from a distance might have passed as Akisin. “This is clearly a forgery,” I said. “Anyone can see that!”

“Then file a complaint.”

Complaint, now that was something I could work with. “As you wish, may I have a form?”

Thud! A tome caked in dust was dumped on the desk. I flicked through the immense paperwork, scowling at the lengthy paragraphs and minuscule fine print. I could not help but wonder if anyone had ever managed to file a complaint against the Hylian army.

Undeterred, I battled on. “And upon completion, how long will the process take?”  The grumbles and sighs from the queue were getting louder. It was alright for them; they knew what they were getting into. I did not want to doubt Guru-Guru, he had impeccable survival instincts after all, but war was not a game.

The recruitment officer gave a shrug. “Dunno, could be a few months, we’re short staffed.”

“A few months? That is absolutely ridiculous, I demand to speak to your commanding officer.”

I had never really appreciated how sharp a dagger could be until the edge of one was being dug into my Adam’s apple. The man with his arm in a sling was apparently ambidextrous.

“You pushed in,” he said, nostrils flaring. “And I’d like to sign up today at some point.”

“Quite right,” I agreed with him and limboed away.

Looking back at the men, they sniggered and slapped Mr Sling on the back. It wasn’t the first time I had been the butt of jokes and underestimated. I took a deep breath trying to consider another way to get around my current predicament. When the rain began to fall, I scowled at the sky but this did little to stop the happy droplets splashing on my nose. There must be a way… I pondered taking shelter beneath the cliff face.

“I can help you get in,” someone spoke from the shadows. It was a queer sound, almost as if several voices were speaking at once. Masculine and feminine, deep and high pitched. So close it made my ears tingle but echoed as though far away.

“Who are you?” I spun around but found no one there. Yet there was a heaviness in the air, I could sense something. “Where are you?”

“Does it matter?”

Honing in on the voice, I approached the wall. “It matters to me.” The stone here was warped.

“I’m a friend.”

“Then show yourself.” I reached out to touch the strange surface but it shifted just out of reach.

“Soon,” the voice promised. “The armorer has a son that likes kitsune. Can you use this to your advantage?”

What? I had indeed come across a white fox mask as I had packed my boxes. “But how could you possibly know about that?” I said. However, my question remained unanswered. The mystery visitor had already left.

 

Featured art: Alison Brunyee via Canva.com

Alison Brunyee is an Original Content Editor for Zelda Dungeon. She likes reading manga and collecting Japanese wind chimes. Her favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time.