Lugubrious

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

Anyone in Castle Town may come into possession of one of the three pieces of paper that together constitute the story Zant destroyed. If you're interested, I'd recommend finding it outside in a dry place, like stuck in the eaves of a house or caught in a window.

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

Having been so accustomed to the Happy Mask Salesman's characteristic happy smile, even in the short time she had know him, Midna was very surprised to see an expression on his face akin to rage. It puzzled her to see such a twisted, nearly frightening look on someone who ordinarily gave off such a joyous air. She considered asking him why, but thought better of it. Instead, she swept over to the exhibit that he vacated, curious as to why it might spark such wrath in him. The brilliantly-colored mask immediately caught her eye, and after giving the artifact a cursory examination she read the associated text. Once used by an Ancient Tribe for hexing rituals, this mask's dark power grew too great and it was sealed away to prevent catastrophe. During the Child Era, it was discovered by a Skull Kid, who it possessed and used to threaten Termina until the Hero of Time destroyed it. It is unknown if the mask exists. Majora's Mask is named after the fell monster from whose skull it was carved.

Midna glanced at Happy, whose bad mood remained. What could a man who sells masks have to do with this terrible artifact?

-=-=-

After about twenty minutes perusing the shelves, Zant began to zero in on his quarry. The fragment of knowledge he sought was erudite and rare, something only a place as grand as this might have. He poked among the tomes and scrolls, seeking one in particular. Finally, he found what he was looking for: Legend of Hylia. He plucked the thin novel from the shelf, careful not to pull off its loosely-attached binding. Flipping through quickly, he examined each chapter until 'Hylia and the Interlopers' came into view. "Ah." His lips curled into a definitive grimace as he skimmed the paragraphs, his rudimentary understanding of Hylian writing only getting him so far. The core message of the story was clear, however, and it could not be allowed to remain in the hands of the public.

Zant looked either way down the aisle of shelves. Nobody was in sight. He focused his hearing, divining for any breath or footstep. Only the sweet sound of rainfall drifting in through an open window nearby met his ears. Soon, the storm would start to diminish. Zant held up the book by one of its covers, dangling the offending page a few inches from his face. He raised his other sleeve, and out from the orifice popped a gleaming scimitar. With deft precision he sliced the page free from the book and then into three pieces with subsequent cuts. The sheared paper, free of its binding, was caught by wind from the window and whipped out into the air. Good. The water will wipe it away.

He returned to the museum's other area to find Midna and Happy apart, reading different exhibits. Making note of Happy's very unhappy mood, he approached the Twilight Princess. "I am ready to go when you two are. There was nothing of importance to me in the histories."

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

A note to Sheik: currently, nobody but the Mask Salesman knows for sure that Gorko and Groose are on Midna's side.

Something that I think would be interesting would be if Midna or Zant happened to find either one of Impa's or Ganondorf's spies. Will either of you allow me to do so?

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

Random thought: I'm sure that neither Sheik nor Impa would be very amiable to Midna and Zant if they come into contact, but would they Initiate combat with them? I don't mean out-of-the-blue aggression, since that would be out of character (probably), but perhaps for a 'duel for our lady's honor' sort of thing.

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

"I don't know that I'm much interested in extended reading," Midna said languidly. She made as if she was going to turn and continue her leisurely stroll, but was surprised to find Zant blocking her path. A slight tilt of her head demonstrated her confusion. "Huh, what is it?"

Using his left arm, Zant gestured to the Happy Mask Salesman. If the Hylian hadn't already noticed, it was obvious now how ludicrously long Zant's arms were. "Our...friend is correct. There is indeed much we could afford to learn in such a place."

Without hesitating, Midna launched into the language of the Twili. Clearly, she sensed something amiss. "Do you truly place such faith in a dusty old museum?"
"I do not. But there is something I must check. In the meantime, you could lead the merchant around inside. Judging by his speech, he's never been before."
"If you insist."

The exchange completed, Midna switched back to accented Hylian to talk to Happy. "Professor Zant has convinced me that a little exploring can go a long way. Let's go on in."

Though the building was designed to seem old and authentic to keep with its theme of preserved antiquities, it was obviously well maintained. No creak in the door or floorboards announced the trio's entrance,and for a minute they stopped to take a good look at the place. This structure had two stories, with half of the first floor devoted to a veritable library of records, texts, and literature. Along the other side of floor one, there existed a rather large exhibit depicting the various ages of the world. Before all that, however, lay the desk of the museum clerk, whose intrigued expression was directed at the Twili. Midna couldn't blame him; everything about her and Zant screamed unusual, from skin tone to eyes to proportions. It might be necessary during my event, she noted, To explain that most Twili cloth themselves in bent shadow, as I do. As she sidled up the attendant's desk, the direction of his gaze fomented her new idea. "Forty rupees per person to visit." He declared with a questioning eye. "You folks aren't from around here. Are you nobility?"

Zant withdrew the money from a pocket in his sleeve. "Something like that. If you wish to know more about us, please attend the event at the Castle Town main square tonight."

The man eyed the rupees, as if he expected them to be fake. After a few moments, he shrugged. "I might. Shift's gonna end at dinnertime. Enjoy the museum...uh, sirs and madam."

Immediately, and without any warning, Zant departed alone to the records section. Midna, at a far more leisurely pace and with Happy most likely in tow, made her way to the Ages exhibit. Her eyes scanned the various displays. "The Sky Era, the Force Era, the Child Era, the Era of the Great Seas...it's all very interesting."

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

I'm so excited to see new players and characters appearing. Welcome, all!

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

I'm pretty much already doing that with a few small-time characters.

The Heroes of Beacon

KabenSaal said
Her fucking eyes change colour!! Now I'm really suspicious of that pink eye. Gotta be something special, like an interchangeable Sharingan or some shit like that.

I never noticed that before. That's...interesting.

See No Evil

It was obvious from the moment that 'follow me' exited Eric's lips that being apart made Zander uneasy. The ride in the care, while definitely a novel experience, proved more entertaining for the angelic duo than uncomfortable. Having his literal other half more than a few feet away from him, however, was night intolerable to Zander. As he did his best to follow the sensitive, his every movement betrayed the face that something was off; he fidgeted, he walked erratically, he constantly looked around as if he expected something to leap from the cheap Arby's woodwork and devour his soul. Zoe certainly didn't seem happy about it either. On top of parting with her soul mate, which pretty much never happened even for brief periods, she was faced with the awkward situation of trying to get food when she had only just eaten.

To Zander, the concept of a restroom was as alien as that of an automobile. The stomach shared by he and his partner functioned like a furnace for their food—it immolated every molecule it processed for maximum retention of nutrition, leaving no waste. Strictly speaking, angels didn't even need to eat, but taste came as a unique, enjoyable experience. Indeed, judging by the angels turned Fallen by succumbing to greed, the experience was too enjoyable for some. Of course, all of this meant only one thing: upon entering the lavatory, he had no clue what to expect. Even if he had, a demonic toilet stall would have been far from the list.

As Eric opened the door to the stall, and the air became suffused with the whiff of evil, golden flames began to dance across Zander's arms. While he could still ignite his Burning Passion in this form, it was far weaker than Unions. Truth be told, Zander was just as ready to incinerate Eric as he was some gruesome creature coming from the gateway. Sensitives were a fickle and unpredictable bunch, and if one thought he could gain some sort of advantage by luring an angel into a trap, any alliance that sensitive had with said angel was tremulous at best.

Legends of Zelda... and Everyone Else

The children vanished into the ongoing cascade of rain. If anything, the storm grew worse as noon approached. After listening to the mask vendor's commentary, and noting the twinge of melancholy in his sigh, Midna felt obliged to cheer him up. “Not everyone has a destiny like mine, but it is a good thing. Renown comes with its drawbacks. For instance, it is rare to spend time with my father and avoid hearing him complain about the strains of a life spent on a pedestal. No privacy, all responsibilities...maddening. It is not a life I find particularly attractive either, but it is a life I am destined to live.” She paused for a few seconds, searching for the right words. “You, humble merchant, are an important part of this kingdom.”

At that moment, Midna had the misfortune of stepping right into an unseen puddle. The resulting splash soaked her bare feet. She clicked her tongue in irritation and stepped around the offending pool. “I attribute our safety thus far to luck. Sooner or later we will encounter some overly-devoted disciple of Zelda's who will try to end our lives or make them miserable, depending on that...individual's intelligence.” A look at the Happy Mask Salesman confirmed that his permanent smile had only continued to grow larger. Such a perennially cheerful mood was one-of-a-kind, particularly on such a dreary day. Noticing a few townspeople looking on, Midna waved with a hand, moving the wrist rather than an arm. With unconvinced looks on their faces, the citizens skedaddled. She exchanged a whisper with Zant, which managed to turn the perturbed frown on her face into a neutral expression once more. “Not everyone is as easily convinced as those children,” she said, resuming her walk. “For now I am a myth, a tall tale. Later today, or perhaps tomorrow morning, I shall host an event in the central plaza before the castle. There, I will tell much about my people and I. Then Midna will not be a stranger any longer. I'm sure that if you attended your questions would be answered.”

She stopped in front of a two-story structure with an architecture simple yet grand in design. In bold Hylian script, which neither of the Twili could read, the sign over the two-door entrance read 'Museum of Hyrule Historia'. “A strange building,” remarked Zant.