Vaati the Secret Santa

"First part of a Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap fanfiction.

This started out as just a simple picture for a Christmas Contest, but someone simply mentioned writing a story to go along with it and ta-da! Something to finish up the next time I'm in a Christmas Season state of mind." -Casey

 

Toy making was a simple, but beautiful craft. Every Minish boy and girl in Hyrule Town knew how to carve knights and dragons from blocks of wood and how to turn silky cloth into dresses for little princess dolls. Vaati was a Forest Minish, so he didn't have to take special classes on toys when he was a child. His classes had always been boring things like gardening and cooking. None of that was nearly as exceptional as making things for the humans.
"Vaati! Are you even listening to me?" shouted Ezlo in frustration.
"Yes, Master," Vaati lied, pretending that he had been engrossed in taking notes.
"Did you come here to learn or to daydream, young man?!" the old man huffed.
"I'm sorry, Master," the boy apologized. "I was just thinking about the Winter Festival. There are only six more days left to craft our gifts."
Ezlo slammed shut the book he had been reading from and sighed before letting a small smile tug at his lips. "I didn't know you were a toy maker, Vaati," the man stated as he placed the book on one of the many bookcases in the workshop.
Vaati put aside his notebook and feather pen and sped across the room to a large clay pot where Master Ezlo kept his cane and wand. "I was reading the old tales about the people of the skies and the goddess's chosen hero!" he explained as he carefully pulled something out of the pot. "There was a picture of the hero's sword in there and I used it to make this!"
Vaati proudly held up a small carved piece of wood that looked much like a small dagger, but it lacked a sharp edge. Ezlo really was quiet impressed, seeing as how he'd only taught his apprentice carpentry a week ago and the boy had never seen a real sword in his life. "Hmm, not bad, though I suspect that you pilfered my good maple to make it," Ezlo lightly scolded as he took the toy in his hands to examine it further.
"Sorry," Vaati mumbled as his eyes dashed from his feet, to the sword, and then to his feet again.
"I've had to work very hard for many years to acquire everything that you see in this house, Vaati," Ezlo lectured as he examined how smooth the sword had been sanded. "I do hope that you'll respect that and ask before touching anything else of mine."
"Yes, Master," the boy replied, trying to keep a straight face, which made his lips twitch.
"Good," Ezlo stated as he handed the wooden sword back to Vaati. "Either way, this is a very decent carving. What are you planning to do with it?"
Vaati smiled again at this question. "I was going to give it to one of the children in Hyrule Town for the Winter Festival!" the boy replied excitedly. "I know that you have an enlarging spell that could make it big enough to fit in a human boy's hands."
"Oh, and how were you planning on getting into Town?" the old man questioned indignantly.

Vaati tried to look Ezlo in the eye, but found his gaze shifting away from the man's icy stare. "I was hoping that we could leave for town tomorrow and be there for the eve of the celebration," Vaati expained timidly. "Cause, you know, it's a four day journey..."

"And you spring this on me with only a day's notice?!" Ezlo nearly shouted.

"We could leave the day after tomorrow and be there for the actual festival!" Vaati added hastily, trying to sound aloof about the matter.

Ezlo let out an exasperated sigh thew his arms up in defeat. "I don't know!" he exclaimed off to one side as if the books could relate to his frustration with his new apprentice. "It's long road through the snow and I have things to do here!" Ezlo's eyes darted around the room as if he was mentally searching for a solution to the situation or a compromise of some sort, but he finally shook his head. "No," he sighed. "I'm sorry, Vaati, but there's no way we can make that trip. It's too dangerous this time of year. Maybe you can save the sword and we can take it to the 'Picori Festival' in the spring."

"Alright," Vaati replied with false content. "That could work."

"Good," the old man replied as he leaned against his staff. "Now, why don't you make yourself useful by fetching me some water? Hmm?"

"Yes, Master," the boy replied with a quick bow before he sprinted out of the room.

In truth, Vaati was deeply disappointed at his Master's decision and humiliated by how poorly his request had been received. He had made the sword days ago and had been working up the courage to ask about Hyrule Town ever since. Now he had waited too long and he wasn't going anywhere at all.

Vaati looked down at his little toy sword in his hand and sighed. He had become Ezlo's apprentice so that he could grow up to be a great craftsman who spent his days making things for the humans and awing them with his skill. Then even the tallest of men would tell tales of the small pale lavender skinned "Picori" whose skill was almost that of a sorcerer.

Vaati arrived at the well behind the house and began to lower the large thimble bucket for the water. He was beginning to realize that a sage’s apprentice was also expected to double as a sage’s servant. It wouldn’t be nearly as terrible and inconvenience if he was being paid for all his hard work, but Ezlo had said that he was not a wealthy man. However, he had learned a lot from the craftsman. Perhaps he had even learned enough so that he didn’t need Ezlo to accompany him on the long trip to Hyrule Town. Ezlo was a very old man after all. His real reason for turning down the trip must have been that he feared he’d slow Vaati down. The snow wasn’t really a danger after all, not since Vaati had read all about how to find shelter from it.

“It is decided then!” Vaati announced dramatically as he held his wooden sword aloft. “I shall travel westward to deliver this treasure to a worthy child!”

Characters (C) Nintendo
Story (C) SuperheroGeek13