[Intro](../intro.md) [Disclaimer](../disclaimer.md) --- *Flash*. A dazzle of lights scattered across the stage as the weary dragon was drawn to land. *Fwoosh.* A bout of fire from the dragon's mouth. Rain fell, the dragon died, and from it's corpse, life grew anew. The battle was over, but the cycle never ends. Around it goes. Around, and around, and around... The sisters bowed as lights faded. The story told. Hyde clapped along with the audience. As always, the Kimono Girls told a beautiful story, and their vee's made the show an absolute spectacle. But this wasn't the real reason Hyde was here. No, she enjoyed the story, she always did, but this time there was something special. In the lobby, a collection of masks, some used during that very production, were on display. Hyde loved masks. The idea of hiding behind another identity, just for a bit. Enough to play a role you weren't assigned in life. They were always a beautiful gift. And Hyde had one in particular they liked the most. The Veiling Trickster. They were a bit disappointed when it never showed up in the production, but that didn't stop them from making their way out to the lobby as soon as the dancers had left the stage, and begin fawning over the intricate wooden mask. They followed the curves and lines of the mask, something they had already done earlier that week, tracing them out in their mind. They couldn't say exactly why, but it felt like it called to them. Begged them to pick it up. Of course, they respected the history of it too much to touch, but that didn't stop them from making the trek from goldenrod a second time. She found herself idling far longer than she thought, and was only brought out when the janitor bumped into her. "Oh, sorry mam. Hehe. Didn't see you there." She smiled, and gave the... person? A small wave. Under the coveralls, they seemed very androgynous, and Hyde felt a small spark. They chalked it up to the surprise and their fascination still lingering. "Quite alright. I needed to be brought back anyways." And it was true. The crowds had dispersed, and only the two of them remained in the hall. She suspected she'd have to leave soon, and a pang of sadness hit. This was the last weekend the masks would be here. By the morning, they would be packed onto a ship and on their way to Unova. Her chances of seeing this beautiful mask again were basically zero. She wanted to take as much in as she could. She wasn't sure if it was just a love for the design, or a desire to make her own, but she couldn't quite yet pull away. "That one got ya, hu?" Hyde nodded. "Yeah, I just... something amazing about it." They heard the janitor chuckle as they dusted off one of the masks. "You're welcome to take a closer look. They're old, but solid wood. Just don't drop it." Hyde nodded before registering what they said. Baffled, she shot back up. "You mean... I could... Could I like... try it on?" The words almost took force, and yet they couldn't stop saying them. Like that small gap left an opportunity for them to be pulled out of their mouth. "Absolutely. You saw the dancers using them. They're meant to be worn." That last sentence hit them like a ton of bricks. Something felt... heavy about it. But that didn't stop them from taking the chance. They lifted the wooden mask from it's pedestal and gently traced their fingers across the wood surface. It was black fox mask, carved to resemble thick fur. Blue paint was drawn around the eyes, resembling mascara. The tips of the ears had been painted blue, suggesting a highlight. A small red gem hung from a black cord with blue knots, resembling a ponytail. As she turned it over in her hands, she could have sworn it was looking back. She saw what she believed to be blue eyes staring back from the voids of the eye-holes. A part of her flinched, and she nearly dropped the mask, but looking over her shoulder, the janitor was still focused on cleaning the other displays, and Hyde breathed a sigh of relief. Turning to the back, she could see runes engraved around the inside of the mask. Things she had never seen before. Her fingers brushed across the markings, and the light reflected off them, almost making them glow. She felt a warmth in her hands, and smiled. It felt right. She lifted the mask up, bringing her face close to look over the runes, and instinctively, without thought, put the mask on. It was a perfect fit. Their hands moved away, and the mask remained. "Oh, wow. it's really well made." The janitor snickered a bit, still detailing an eevee mask. "Yeah, they are all crafted with care. Well made to fit their owner's face perfectly, so they don't even have to think about how to keep them affixed." Hyde smiled, feeling the cool wood against her skin. A gentle embrace, and for a moment, she felt like someone else. She wasn't Hyde the person, but Hyde the fox, sneaky and stealthy, hiding behind false eyes. She swept across the room, the feeling of air across fur racing through her mind. Another fox joined her in the race, and she giggled. Her mind dutifully filling in a moment of imagination for her. It was pure bliss. "I wish I could have one of my own. It's so well crafted." The janitor smiled at her, leaning against the broom. The smile was... wide. Teeth sharp. Off. "Oh, but you do." Hyde blinked, confused. Reaching up she took the mask off and tilted her head. "What? Wait, no. I can't keep this. That would be theft." They kept that off smile, now slowly stepping towards them. "But look, that is your mask, is it not?" She looked at the mask. It was human. And not just any human... it was her face. She panicked, dropping the mask and moving to a glass window. Staring back, a fox face, covered in black fur, stared back. The ice blue eyes piercing through. *Her* eyes. A hand shot up to her snout. No, a paw. Blue claws attached, nearly raking across their face. Her face. The idea created panic, and she turned to the janitor. But they weren't there. Worry and fear filled her mind. Everything was wrong. Something must have been on the mask. Some kind of drug, or spore. Something was messing with her mind. "The Veiling Trickster. A dark creature who hid behind many masks. Each crafted from one of her victims soul." The voice of the janitor drew Hyde's attention, and she turned to face them. In their place, a white fox with yellow eyes stood, staring down at her. Red boils covered their arms, and their hair seemed to follow the whims of an invisible wind. Their visage seemed unconcerned for Hyde's situation, and they floated closer to her. "Every mask, a new identity. A life transferred to her. The people of the town became afraid. Fearful that the next person they met could be her. But she didn't seek to hurt, only play. She only wanted friends." Hyde backed away from the ghostly visage, reaching out for anything in their panic. Her claws gripped around the dragonite mask nearby, and she held on tight. "She found kindness in a man who offered his home to her. Warmth, a place to stay. He didn't mind her games. If anything, he encouraged them. But the cost. Ooooh the cost. She never showed him her real face." As the ghost closed in on Hyde, she backed into a corner. The mask she held began to feel warm, and she looked between it and the fox, before putting it on. They didn't know what to expect, but anything was better than letting this entity attack them. "Never by choice. But one night, her darkest night, she found herself chased by the town. A trick gone wrong, and someone was hurt. She knew it was her fault, but had hoped a moment of protection from her friend was there." The ghost paused, their wide eyes staring back blankly. Hyde could have sworn they were almost... smiling again. "She didn't get that moment. She dropped the mask to explain, but never got the words out. He had heard the fox was about, and was prepared. Steel pierced her heart. She had no friends." Tears began to roll down their cheeks, staining the new fur. "Please, stop. Just... Stop! I want to go home!" They tilted their head a bit, staring deep into her eyes. "With her life expended, her final mask fell away. One she could never wear herself again. Bound to forever follow it till it found a new home. And now you, little thief, have a chance to live the life of a trickster." Their eyes went wide, and they scrambled deeper into the corner. "No! Please! I just... Please!" The tears turned to sobs. They didn't know how to respond anymore. Their cries sounded distant, replaced with a roar. The ghost stared. The wicked smile growing once again. "Too late. This burden is yours now. I recommend being... prepared." They gestured to the room, and Hyde could now feel every mask glowing, energy reaching out to them. They stole a quick glance, but by the time the looked back, the ghost was gone. They sat upright, and tried desperately to grasp for the mask. But their claws only found purchase on the wood of the dragonite. She tore it away, but the fur remained. Their mind a haze, they dashed through the theater, scooping up every mask they could reasonably carry, and booked it out. --- ~~Prev~~ | [Next](./Chapter%202.md?v)