of Shovels and Knights (Shovel Knight stories)

Mona - Behind a mask

They were both sitting on a wooden box, looking at all the potions and chemistry they did together over the time.
Mona was smirking at the largest dynamo decanter, remembering how they've used it to make the Ultimate Potion, one of the most difficult mixtures every alchemist like them dreams on crafting one day.
Plague Knight was behind her, back agaisnt back, lost in thoughts as well.
For the occasion he even pulled his hoodie off, showing his long, dark and greasy hair, all messy covering the upper part of the mask and the longer ones held in a small pony tail.

- Hey, Plaguey. -

- Yes, Mona?-

- Mind me asking, how did you get your title of Knight? Not saying you are not a blast in battle but you know, I've been wonderin'.-

- Oh, heheh. Nothing really, while others had to claim it, hee... I've simply inherited it!-

- Wait, so your parents used to be noble?-

- Yes, but don't make up your mind. When I was born my father was already in a financial crisis, and the Explodatorium is all it was left of our castle. If so you can call it, hahah! -

- Wow, still impressing. So that's what pushed you to the way of alchemy, need of gold?-

- I guess so. I've been between colorful bottles and toxic fumes since my youngest days, and I remember my first experiments were made in front of him and the Alchemeister.
Want some tea?-

The girl refused, and waited until his parter-in-lab picked up his drink and took a few sips before continuing the conversation.

- You've never told me about your mask. Why you hide your face, did they used you as their labrat? -

- Naaah, even if his parenthood was questionable in some cases, he still had a minimun of ethic, at least on me. However the mask is linked; once one of his experiment failed and caused a big explosion with fire. And I was there. -

Mona thought she might have gone too far, but his tone was calm and indifferent as usual, suggesting he didn't mind the topic at all. Perhaps his voice a bit absent, but he could always been remembering those moments were apparentely he was nearly burnt alive.
She felt a sudden cold feeling on her shoulders, thinking how not even too far from their lands, people like them were forced to die in that way or other kinds of tortures. They had been lucky they would have just been banned from the village until their contribute on blowing up the Tower of Fate.
She pushed that thought in the back of her mind.

- Half face and right chin. Still wonder how I'm not blind, hehe!! However I am photosensitive, so the mask also helps my eye to not get into more severe conditions. Or how would I throw my bombs? -

- "Also"?-

He nodded. - One day he walked in my room and put it on me, and I've rarely took it off since then. He claimed it was to protect me from more dangerous experiments like that one, as he started wearing one as well, but hehe bet my staff he just didn't want more rumors about him going throught the lands!-

- Pff, well better than lock yourself inside the castle, I suppose? -

- Ergh, I didn't use to go out much anyways. But yeah, even with the title of Knight the fame always follows you, so... -

They stayed in silence for a moment, listening to the boiling mixtures and the fumes whistling throught the tubes. Relaxing music for their ears, even if now they could go out and test their bombs in the outside, that was the place they belonged to.

- Do you think I look better with the mask on? -

She smiled. - You always look good on those, no matter the others running away when seeing you. Beside you haven't showed me your face yet so I can't compare, but sure it's not the one of a monster. -