Masks

“Its so weird, Stick,” Alex said as he gazed up at the stars, throwing little nuts up in the air and watching the whiptail catch them. He had crawled his way up to the roof of the inn, fairly impressed with the view of the town. “I’ve been reading the books Elysia brought with her, trying to learn more about this world. Know what I’ve found?”

Stick chittered excitedly on Alex’s knee.

“Well, it turns out, a lot of places here are a lot like places in our world. Like, okay, this entire world, Ekodyne, is pretty much one massive super continent surrounded by oceans and smaller islands. The western area here, Aurellion, it’s culture is a lot like America and Europe. Inns, taverns, stores, cars, it’s like…not one to one. Hell, maybe not even a hundred to one, but it’s close enough to make me think. And all these other countries do the same thing. There’s a place like South America up north with jungles and stuff with similar cultures to the ancient Aztec and Maya, there’s a place down south which looks a lot like Asian cultures, even the far eastern country where the Treasure is supposed to be looks like the deserts of northern Africa. So it makes me wonder…are they like us, or are we like them? Or is it all a big cosmic coincidence?”

“You talk far too much,” Silver’s voice called out. Alex let out a frightened squeal as he turned his head to look at her. She was sitting a bit higher on the roof, leaning against the chimney.

“What in your head made you think the horror movie jump scare approach was a good idea?!” he sputtered.

“How did you want me to announce my presence?” Silver asked.

“What are you even doing up here anyways?” Alex asked, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice.

“Same thing you are I’m guessing. I wanted to be alone with the sky. Which would be a lot easier if you shut up and stopped rambling to your little rodent,” Silver said.

“Stick and I will take it into consideration,” Alex grumbled. He looked over at her, taking in the smooth metal mask, reflecting everything back out, the metal arm she kept away from her body while her left arm was crossed over her chest.

“What?” Silver asked. “I can feel you studying me.”

“I’m wondering if you keep the mask on because you need to or if you have to,” Alex said.

Silver grunted. “Don’t see how it’s any of your business.”

“See, I think you want to wear it. You didn’t even know I would be up here, yet you’re still wearing the mask. Even alone, you don’t like looking at yourself,” Alex said.

“Shut up. You don’t know anything about me,” Silver said, anger creeping into her voice.

“Yeah, you’re right. The guy trapped in a hot girl’s body has no idea what physical loathing feels like,” Alex said. “Guess I’ll sit here thinking about how the clerk downstairs couldn’t rip his eyes from my D cups and how completely normal it is.”

“At least you look human…” Silver said quietly.

“Aha! There it is!” Alex triumphantly shouted.

“Damn it. I’m going back in.” Silver got up and started walking back to the edge of the roof

“No, wait. Stay,” Alex said.

Silver looked back. Alex was sitting there, cross legged, looking at her.

“Why?”

“Because…because I go off to be alone sometimes because I choose to be alone. But I’m not lonely. I’ve got Jake and the others. You…I think you need to be alone. Or, you feel like you do. So, I’m telling you…you don’t.”

“Why do you care?” Silver sneered. Alex shrugged.

“I don’t. Give me a reason to,” he said.

Silver looked for a minute like she was going to go back in. Then she slowly walked over to Alex and sat down.

“So, you gross under there?” Alex asked.

“Tactless,” Silver said. “But…yes.”

“Actually gross or you only think you’re gross?”

“Does it matter? You’re a beautiful girl. You feel right in your head?”

“Touché,” Alex said sadly, shaking his head. “It’s funny. You don’t want people seeing your face. I wish people could see mine. I mean, my old one. My real one.”

“I wasn’t always a monster, either. But I learned to live with it. Is getting your body back why you’re going on this ridiculous little treasure hunt?” Silver asked. “All the people in history and you four think you’re going to find it? And then you can wish yourself back to normal?”

“I mean, yeah, I want to pee standing up again. But it’s not the whole reason why I’m going,” Alex said.

“What? You want even more power?” Silver sneered behind her mask.

“Nope. I’m going because Elysia asked me to,” Alex said.

“It can’t be so simple…” Silver said, shaking her head.

“Why not?” Alex replied. “Look, all my life Jake and I have been there for each other. He’s never cared I was poor, I never cared he was rich. and Elysia, she believes in us. Her and Kraelin both do. She went looking for heroes, and somehow she got us. And I hate to lay this whole anime power of friendship bullcrap on you, but…it means something. Did you ever had someone you believed in so much you’d trust them with everything?”

Silver sat quietly, looking away. “Yes. Once. Before…this.” She touched her metal mask.

“What happened?” Alex asked.

“I overestimated my worth,” Silver said. “Like in Gravine. My plan failed.”

“Still stuck on the pumpkin and the poison, huh?” Alex said. “First fight we had here, we died. We still saved an entire town. Stop sweating the details, masky.”

“Masky?” Silver remarked.

“Or would you prefer chrome dome?” Alex asked, a snarky smile on his lips.

“Listen here, ma’am…” Silver responded, sounding actually playful.

“Okay, so now we’re doing it,” Alex said, playfully shoving Silver. “So, tomorrow you’ve gotta check out some abandoned mansion for your boss?”

“Yes,” Silver simply said.

“What’s in the house?” Alex asked.

“Nothing which should concern you,” Silver said.

“Yes it should if we’re going to help.”

“And who said I wanted you to help?”

“You did, when you let us tag along. You know the type of people we are. So, what are we looking for?”

Silver looked Alex in the eyes. “Even if I told you to screw off, you’d follow me anyways, wouldn’t you?”

“Probably,” Alex said with a shrug.

Silver sighed in defeat.