Can I leave now:

The Oni was sweating as he arrived back to his shop to find things had been blown around and were laying on the floor as he smacked his own forehead when he realized what had happened. He went to find the small boy Jamie laying on the floor with the mask busy cooling off still as he noticed the mess, he wanted to rage at the boy but noticed the burn marks on the boy's hand as he wondered if he went a bit too far with his laziness. He sat their patiently thinking on his life wondering when he had let himself get this far.

The Oni thought back to his past when he was young and full of energy, when his master had trained him in the art of making masks working hard by the kiln with his own two hands. How could he allow himself to fall so low in his life that he would pawn off his own work to a small child as the Oni felt regret for the first time in his life. However he still had his pride as he stood up firmly and waited patiently as he retrieved his approval stamp which was something he had earned long time ago, by mastering the art of using the blue flames.

(218)

Jamie finally woke up after resting for a while as the Oni looked at him with serious eyes hiding the deeper feels he felt inside as he thought back to when he was a small little Oni playing with the blue flames of the wild erratic fireball that would become his forging spirit. How long had it been since he last took to kiln for his ceramic art as he took a deep breathe as Jamie looked up to him expecting something from the Oni who looked down at the boy and towards the mask as he felt a heavy heart at what he had done and been doing all this time.

All those festival goers who had come for a mask, requesting his expert skills. Some endured and others would simply walk away in frustration, but of all the one's he had met it was this child who chose to see positive light in even the simplest of his lies. There was no doubt in the eyes of the boy who had called him master all this time showing his utmost respect for an Oni who no longer had the heart of a man or even the burning spirit of a true Oni.

The Oni could not remember what his master had taught him as he wondered what words of wisdom he could pass on to this child who had humored his nonsense until the very end. In his eyes he could not play anymore games and could not waste the time of this future customer who may grow to look up to him even more if he were to change now as he finally spoke up when he realized the mask was ready to be held.

"Take up your mask and hold it before me" as the young little Jamie took the mask in his left hand leaving his right hand to hang to his side as it was still stinging with pain and seemed rather useless to him at the moment as the boy held it up the man looked at the fox mask and began thinking of the tales of the kitsune of old who had many blue flames that would orbit around them as he finally made his decision as he waved his right hand high up in the air as he held the stamp in the air as the boy seemed to be mesmerized imagining blue flames like angelic wings sprouting from this man with the aura of a true master, though in truth it was all just a small trick by the Oni to save face as the boy held on his mask carefully as he awaited for the spectacular finish as it felt like the earth shook as the Oni simply stomped the ground really really hard so that he could at to the display. An act to not let the boy down as he stamped the forehead center of the mask with great skill as the seal formed on the mask glowing with an aura that seemed beautiful to Jamie who finally got what he had came for, even though he basically did all the work by himself in the end aside from the stamping.

"It is done!" as the man took a deep breathe as if he had exerted a large portion of his energy to perform the approval for the mask and validating its authenticity. " The gates leading to the Masquerade Ball will open to you." as the young boy tilted his head and replied. "wha?"

As if the confusion never ends it was finally over as he made his final declaration to the boy. "Begone, and enjoy the festival as the proud owner of that glorious mask" as the young boy bowed his head slightly and said. "Thanks, Master" as he turned around and scurried off the Oni cried manly tears as he decided to once again take up his art. Jamie put the mask in a small bag and then went to the first aid tent to get his hand looked after as he had fun making a mask today.

(684)
[902]

902/750
Mission Complete
Exit Thread