[004 ∆ egoselfish]

[childhero]

Characters: MM!Link ("Forest") and YOU
Setting: [01] Floor 10 (aquarium), [02] Floor 28 (music room), [03] Floor 22 (art room), [04] Floor 11 (locked to Majora/giveschase)
Format: I'll start in action, but I'll match you
Summary:
[01] Link is attempting to relieve some stress by swimming as a Zora again.
[02.1] While passing by the music room, you hear a new instrument. Investigate, y/n?
[02.2] In this case, Link is the one who hears something different coming from the music room and decides to see what it is you're up to.
[03] Link is baffled by some paintings.
[04] Link has found a strange mask, and he tries it on... not knowing just what he's about to get himself into. Replies will mostly come from lackspurpose.
Warnings: n/a for now

[ 01 ; aquarium ]
[There is just... something about being a Zora. To be able to move so quickly, so effortlessly... At first, Link just used the mask's abilities for his quests. But the ghost of Mikau whispered in the back of his mind, urging him to let go, to relax, to be a Zora instead of a boy pretending to be one. Hesitantly, he did, once. And it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He'd never experienced freedom, not like this. The only thing that came close was riding Epona, feeling her move powerfully under him, the wind in his hair, the unity of horse and rider as they barreled along the circular track. But this... This, is just him.

Link can be found as a blur darting throughout the water, leaping across the gaps between the columns without stopping. If you want his attention, you're probably going to have to yell or do something especially eye-catching.]

[ 02 ; music room ]

( 2.1 )
[There is a song playing on the floor 28, and while it starts off and features a solid string section, as per usual of the music room, a new woodwind voice joins the orchestra. If you look further into this matter, you'll find a boy sitting amongst the instruments, playing a small tan potato ocarina with his eyes closed.

He doesn't seem to notice you. What do?]


( 2.2 )
[Link was originally just passing through, but something caught his attention on the staircase on floor 28. At first, he can't quite tell what it is, and his curiousity gets the better of him. He can't help but to come off the staircase and take a look.

So what is it that you're doing to attract so much attention?]


[ 03 ; art room ]
[Whether you're just climbing up the staircase or turning a corner in the art room, this is the sight that awaits you. The boy in green tilts his head one way, stays there for a while, and then tilts his head the other way. Finally, he says aloud to himself,]

I don't get it.


[ 04 ; floor 11 ; for giveschase only! ]
[Last month, Link found a mask in the Tower while searching for the stuff that was stolen from him. It was quiet and didn't speak of magic when he held it, so he simply stowed it away to investigate later. He still had the other masks to find, after all. But after that, he forgot about it. But once the month changed, he could suddenly feel its magic through his pack. He didn't think anything of it immediately, because there have been other things to focus on -- the return of everyone else in the Tower, namely -- but the longer he's ignored it, the louder it has gotten. Today, he's finally decided to sit down and check it out. What is it that made this mask so "vocal" all of a sudden?

He draws it out of his bag. The mask is of a man's face, complete with the Hylian ears. There was a blue marking on his forehead and two red markings under both of the mask's empty eyes. His hair is white with long parted bangs, just like Link's. Now that he's holding it, the mask seems to have quieted down a little, almost as if it is saying finally.]

Who are you...? [Link murmurs to the mask, as if expecting an answer. When he doesn't get one, he hesitates, and then raises the mask to his face.

And then, everything changes.]

Comments

02 ●

[rewindingly]

[ Homura has taken to exploring the various floors in an attempt to better understand her situation. This floor of musical instruments did catch her attention and she began wandering it with curious interest. She's never tried taking up music and only knows the basic fundamentals that get her through music class at school.

She was about to write this room off as uninteresting, reminding herself that she has no time to window shop for hobbies like this, when the sound of Link's playing catches her ear. She follows to the source of the sound and stands there staring, waiting until he's finished before politely clapping... but is otherwise at a loss for what to say. ]

... You're good.

[childhero]

[Link looks up, surprised. He hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings, and he mentally berates himself for it. Dangerous, dangerous. This may be one of the safer floors, but that doesn't guarantee anything. At least this time, nothing bad happened. He'll have to be more careful next time.

He flushes a little at the compliment.]

O-Oh... Thanks. I didn't realize anyone was listening...

[ 01 ; aquarium ]

[marchwarden]

[ Exploration is the key to understanding the plight before him or so what Haldir believed. The marchwarden carefully made his way through the tower on hesitant but brave feet. He decided to adopt wearing his armor whenever he goes for such exploration. The Elf felt safer in it rather than dressed in bundles of weaved silks and cotton. His golden and red armor was forged by Elven blacksmiths, created to be as light as a feather but as hard as dragon scales. Any creature that dared to attack him would be in for a surprise since this sturdy armor doesn't break very easily.

Approaching what seemed to be a pond of some kind, Haldir's blue gaze widened once he caught something swimming within the water. At first, he figured it to be a fiend of some kind and wasted no time arming his bow. However, as he studied the creature more, the marchwarden began to lower his bow ever so slightly. Entranced by the creature's primitive beauty, Haldir watched in silence still armed as the creature darted about within the water. ]

[childhero]

[It takes Link a while to realize that someone else is there, watching him. When he turns to make another loop in this column of water, he makes sure to direct himself closer to whoever it is so he can get a better look. It isn't anyone he recognizes, though he knows full well he wouldn't be able to recognize everyone that's been in the Tower so far. But what catches his attention the most is the brief glance he got of pointed ears. They're not in the fashion of Hylian ears, but still, his curiousity is piqued (and anything to keep his mind off of what happened last month is more than welcome).

After another loop, Link stops in front of the man, the streamlined form stopping easily to give Haldir a better look at the Zora. After a moment of hesitation, Link steps out of the water. Though he could talk to him through the water (yay Zora abilities), he thought it might be rude.

... he doesn't really know what to say, though. He just knows he wants to try talking to this person. As a result, what he does say has the odd impression of the awkward child behind the mask.]

... Hi.

[marchwarden]

[ Haldir's eyes widened in surprise as the merman approached. He hadn't expected to win the creature's attention but it seemed he has. At first the merman simply stared at him from the water, eying him in hesitantly before climbing out of the water. It was then that the marchwarden lowered his bow. The creature seemed more scared of him than he was of it, so it made no sense for Haldir to treat it like a foe. Despite how bizarre the merman may have looked, the Elf wasn't about to slay the poor creature in cold blood. ]

Greetings.

[ He replied with a faint smile. Whatever this thing is supposed to be, it's a shy one. ]

2.2

[moontothetide]

[What Link will see is Tara, glowering fixedly at a violin. The violin in question is hovering in the air and, apparently of its own accord, attempting to play the melody of a love song.

But, just as whatever is moving the bow across the strings lets its guard down, all the strings on the violin snap. Then Tara jerks her head to the side, and it goes spinning in that same direction to crash against a wall, where it breaks into three pieces.]

[childhero]

[Blink. Blink. Blink.]

Um... Are you... okay?

[moontothetide]

[Tara gives a slight yelp of surprise as Link's voice jolts her from her own thoughts, staring up at Link blankly for a second until her mind catches up, and awareness returns.] W-What? Oh...

[She looks over at the smashed up violin, and this time she looks apologetic and embarrassed about her outburst.] Um...y-yeah. I'm, um, I'm okay. S-Sorry. I-I'm sure there's another one, in here somewhere.

2.2

[vvvroom]

[So, band practice. At least, it's allegedly band practice for the distinguished and talented members of Gas Chamber (now handing out home made demo CDs and T-Shirts).

But honestly, they're just hanging in the music room and messing with the instruments, like this is a thing they do every day (they do, when they can help it). One of them is a young man with a thousand yard permanently etched onto his face, messing with the strings and chords of a guitar while he lounges in the room, like he owns the place.

He's currently rolling his eyes at the tall, weird-looking guy with the blue hair, who's singing.

Er..."singing".

Let's be frank, this it probably why Lil' Link stopped by the room in the first place. It sounded like a cat was being strangled.]

[nemophila]

[Another one is a guy with dark hair covering one eye and a flower on his jacket, who was idly leaning against a wall with his keytar over his neck, and tapping the keys every now and then.

He'd try actually playing a song but he had no idea what their third member was currently "singing," so he was kind of just trying to pretend he actually knew whatever was being played at the moment as he stared blankly down at his instrument.

Fortunately they are nowhere close to actually having demo CDs out, given how amazing their playing currently was.]

[deathboss]

[What were those two guys even talking about, Eikichi's musical melodious chat asphyxieé voice was piercing the heavens as the joy of everything this week being perfect made him quite happy to sing his little heart out! ...and so sing he did, letting out a bunch of HOooos! and Woooos! at what seemed like the perfect time...man were those two even following him?]

Comeon! Leeetsssu gooo evuribady!

[It was as if the happier he was, the WORST he sang and jumbled his words came out.]

[2.1]

[forestsage]

[Saria had been there listening for some time. The echo of an instrument she knew so well was what called her to this room amidst her exploration of this place, and seeing her friend as the musician prompted her to stay.]

[From how invested he looked, Saria doubted he even knew she was in the room with him. But she stood there, listening patiently.]

You've gotten better.

[childhero]

[At first, it didn't occur to him that he shouldn't be hearing her voice. It's so familiar, so... the very thing he's been wanting to hear for so long, that he thinks it's just in his head. But he senses a presence in the room, so he looks up, and then he sees her.

His heart stops.]

S...

[His voice dies in his throat. No. No, she can't be here. She isn't there. He's seeing things. The Tower's playing tricks on him, or his mind is. But she's right there, and he...

Is this real?]

[forestsage]

[Saria's smile stayed, though her eyes were slightly saddened. The person who she knew better than anyone was right in front of her, not even believing she was really there.]

You're not dreaming. I promise.

1: I am so very very sorry

[cant_be_tamed]

[Fishing is really relaxing. At least, to him it is. When one takes into account that this floor is full of fish, plus everything else that's been happening since he got here, it's not very shocking that he'd park his behind near one of the bodies of water and cast out a line, bobber floating along the surface.

Watch out for that hook, or else it's going to get a lot less relaxing for everyone here.]

never apologize

[childhero]

[Watch out for what hook?

Oh, you mean the hook that's catching hold of MM's skirt as he's swimming by?

Oh, you mean the hook that still has MM's skirt after he's swam past?

...

Wait, something feels weird.

As far as Forest is concerned, one minute, he's clothed, and the next, he isn't. He has no idea what happened. He stops sharply in the water in sheer surprise, spinning around to see behind him, wondering where his clothes went --

And then his Zora face turns several bright colors. Yeah, sure, it's not like anything's showing because of Zora anatomy, but. But. butbutbutbut it's the principle of the thing!!

(MM also thinks that TP is actually SS. Haha... ha...)]

[cant_be_tamed]

[Wow, that felt pretty big at first! Let's see what he got!

>You got a......um......a uh....what is that? Oh well, at least it's out of the-

And then he turns and sees the Zora staring at him, putting 2 and 2 together really quick.]

Ah! Sorry about that, sir! [He fumbles with whatever he caught and holds it out out...before realizing that Zoras don't wear clothes.

Also, this fisherman's voice sounded nothing like SS, oops.]

03

[zelda_is_your]

I... don't either? I mean, how do you uncork these bottles?

[Whink just stares also, tilting his head]

[childhero]

[Link is too busy staring confusedly at the paintings to register something odd about the person standing next to him. At least, not until he shrugs and turns to them.]

I have no ide...a...

[Sorry, staring now. A... Another...?]

[zelda_is_your]

[Oh, right. Green hat, blonde hair, blue eyes, pointed ears - yes, another one.]

You must be one of the other Links I've heard so much about.

[So... what's your damage?]

Yeah. Link here.

[Holds out his hand]

Nice t'meetcha.

03

[lookmanostrings]

[Fado had a bit of a habit of showing up without much warning, and now was one of those times. He stood beside Link, is instrument and bow in one hand as his other held his chin in contemplation.]

...Perhaps it is some sort of sacred relic from another culture?

[childhero]

[Link jumps a little, startled, but he relaxes when he notices it's just Fado.]

Maybe. I just... Why is there a painting of it...? What does it do?

[lookmanostrings]

It seems to be related to sustenance.... perhaps it is a sort of Harvest artifact, related to the seasons?

[Masterful powers of deduction.]

3

[alwaysataclimax]

[Suddenly, a wild Momotaros is peering at the cans, too. He's been a bit leery about this place since his last time in here, but curiosity overrides potential fear.]

You an' me both, kid. Why put a buncha pictures of soup cans up?

[childhero]

[... are you a monster]

Soup... cans?