[TWWM] Those Connected by Fate

Location: France

The air was still, as if it were holding its breath, as if it were waiting for something. The breeze held its breath, the leaves on the ground outside still, not a sound as time crept to a standstill. Moonlight streamed in through the large windowpanes, splashing foggy squares across the ballroom floor. The large soft creature padded slowly towards the window, letting the moonlight spill over the mask. It shone once more, giving off a beautiful glow. Carefully, she set it on the smooth floor, flecks of light bouncing off the metal to scatter across the marble. The wide soft feathers stretched across the lines, reaching for the music. The sense of urgency and worry poured out of the mask. It was lost for sure.

Soft pink fur, a spiraled horn. Bell squinted her enormous eyes slowly, peering at the mask, waiting until the moment was right. The feelings of energy welled up within her. "Its time." she said, eager to begin. She planted her feet on the cool floor, dipped her horn towards the mask and willed it to be free. Transformative power flowed through her, bursting with light out of her and pouring over the mask.

Shivering and flickering, the mask vibrated against the floor for a moment before erupting into light. Oranges and pinks burst from its center as it became new. It happened in an instant, and as the light faded away, Bell looked.

There, on the floor where the mask had been stood a very small, very disoriented ball of fur. Eyes as wide as Bell's peered at her, frozen in shock. A tiny voice burst into Bell's mind. "What!? What happened? What was that light? My thoughts...am I? WHAT!?" frantic and confused, the small creature tipped over, its leg sticking up awkwardly. Bell giggled.

The voice continued, "The girl! The girl! Where is she? Where did she go? Is she alright? Will she be back? Will the music return? Why is it so cold? Why am I cold? Why am i twitching? What happened?"

Carefully, Bell reached out, scooping the frightened ball of fur into her arms. Cradling it like a baby, she crooned. "Shhh, hush now little one. All is well!" The tiny voice stopped, and the ball of fur peered up at Bell, a sense of calm creeping into its spirit.
"What...happened?"

"You are an esk now." Bell explained slowly. "I found you, a mask, lost and forgotten. I freed your spirit, you have a mind now, and you can go wherever you'd like!" she touched one of the grassy antennae on the fluff's head. "You're a part of nature now."

For a moment, the ball of fluff sat unmoving, absorbing the information. "I'm...esk?"
Bell nodded slowly, a smile squinting at her eyes.

"I was...How do I remember?"

"How?" Bell tilted her head at the new esk. "Remember before? Well some esks don't remember anything, and others remember everything! I can't control that sadly, I don't know how..." she patted the tiny esk again. "Do you remember?"

She sat in the soft pink fur thinking for a moment. "I think...I think i remember, but everything is foggy... its like I was feeling but not...seeing exactly."

"That makes sense honestly," Bell replied, "masks can't really think, or see...but you absorbed a lot of different energy. Thats how I found you."

"Oh..." the puffball said. "I remember...a shop, it was warm. And a girl, she was also warm. She danced with me, i loved that, but then something happened. I don't know where she went. Then everything was cold...and very heavy..."

"Aww, you poor thing." Bell said, cradling them. "Well now you can travel the world if you'd like, find the girl, find out what happened perhaps?"

"I might do that." the new esk said, thinking. "Everything feels very new though... can I..." she squirmed a bit, motioning to be put down. Her two tiny hands gripped Bell's toe as she lowered her to the ground again.
"Walking might be tricky for a while, you tipped over at first."
"I remember that, that was odd."

The tiny esk made a few awkward steps, tripping over their long toes. While she practiced, Bell thought. "What should we call you? I go by Bell. You don't need a name if you don't want one, but if you'd like one..."

The esk paused, peering up at Bell. "Bell? I like that. Its pretty. I'd like a name I think." she took a few more wobbly steps.
"Hmm" Bell thought, looking up at the moon. "Well...you're small...maybe Tiny?"
"Hmm...no, i don't like that so much."
"Its night time, maybe ... night? You look a bit like a bird...maybe...Tweet? Tweety? Twite?"
"Hmm...no."
"What about...Twy...la? Twyla?"
The little esk paused for a moment, looking at her feet.
"Twyla..." she whispered. "That feels perfect!"

Bell giggled again. "Twyla it is then! You know you don't have to walk right?"
"Oh?"
"No, you can float too if you want! Some esks find it easier to float!
"Float?"

Twyla's eyes widened even more as Bell lifted into the air effortlessly, the latticework auric wings  glowing brightly above her as she drifted towards the vaulted ceiling.
"Oh my!"

With a bit of effort, and several tries later, Twyla was floating gently around the room too, giggling and spinning in the air. "This is easier than walking, but I think I'd like to master both!" she chirped excitedly.
"Alright!" Bell floated outside, leading the tiny newcomer out into the courtyard.

For the next several hours they played on the stone walkways, explored the gardens and splashed in the fountain. Twyla loved being an esk, and the weight and fear she'd felt in that dark hallway faded away completely. Playing hide and seek, she dove into a bush of peonies, giggling. Bell searched for her, pretending she didn't hear the giggles.
After a bit, Twyla hopped out, giggling. Peony petals were stuck to her. Bell laughed "You look cute like that!"

She shook the petals off, giggling, and floated up to the garden wall. "The sunrise! I like the sun Bell. It is warm."
Bell joined her on the wall to watch the sunrise.