Chapter Text
The morning of his seventeenth masquerade began like any other. He woke up to fragments of light slipping through his blinds, slightly illuminating the contents of his room, which contained nothing but his bed. The covers of which, now striped a bright red that contrasted against the dull, shadow covered, dark red the rest of the blanket was. He yawned, his body still lying flat beneath the covers. His eyes fluttered closed, and as he did every morning he attempted to return to the realm of sleep.
The chatter outside his room, quite loud to his pig like ears, barred him from reaching his goal. With a grunt of annoyance, he pushed himself out of bed, and stumbled into one of the wood paneled walls surrounding him, dragging some of the blanket and sheets with him. Untangling himself, he shoved them back onto the bed and made his way to the door.
He grasped the cool, metal handle and wrenched the door open. In front of him were his brothers, arguing.
"Carrots are amazing, and if you really think that they are anything but-your taste buds are messed up." The bunny eared boy argued.
"What- they aren't good in the slightest. Did you burn your taste buds when you-" The other boy, who had curly white hair, retorted.
"I think we can all agree that potatoes are superior." Techno interrupted the heated debate. "Can you please next time be a little quieter when discussing who has worse taste?"
The bunny boy huffed, "Floof was the one making a racket. I tried to tell him to be quiet."
"That is lies and slander, Mitra was yelling at the top of his lungs while I spoke at barely even a whisper."
"I wasn't." He protested."You on the other hand-"
"It was both of you, I heard two voices." The bickering boys turned to Techno, shame painting their faces."How long have you been up?"
"All night." Mitra blurted out. Floof glared at him. "We couldn't sleep."
"It wasn't even because the Masquerade is today, we usually sleep well the night before." Floof paused, clenching his teeth. "Some fucker-" Techno winced at the swear. "played a guitar the entire night, right outside our bedroom."
"Bruh. That must have sucked."
"It did!" Taking a second glance at them, the twin's eyes seemed dulled with exhaustion. His eyes then slid down to three envelopes, gripped tightly to the point of being slightly bent, in Mitra's hand.
"So-"
"As always." Floof confirmed, and gave him the least creased envelope. The ivory paper slightly shined, for a second being brighter than anything else in the hallway, as it laid in his pink furred hand. It was sealed close with what looked like black tinted glass, but felt like any other wax seal. The mark of the self proclaimed "Masked." The group behind his favorite annual event, the village masquerade.
He carefully pried the unknown material off the envelope, the material slightly sticking to his fur, something that never happened before. Shaking it off, it plopped onto the smooth stripped dark oak floor, letting him hear an excerpt of a symphony of screams.
"Wha-" At that sound, he paused from opening the invitation. His face paled as he realized who participated in the song of agony. His brothers thankfully seemed undisturbed, opening their own letters instead of listening to the screams of the perished.
Techno's breath shook, uneven and panicked. Mitra turned to him, his two dark brown eyes, filled with light brown almost gold flecks, showing concern.
"I- I'm fine." He managed to choke out. "I just thought I heard something." Silence had met his ears once again.
He pushed his worry to the back of his mind, tucking in under memories he was way more fond of then the emotions he was currently feeling.
Much calmer, he pulled out a slip of black parchment. Engraved in gold calligraphy is his invitation.
We would like to invite you to celebrate the 50th L'manberg Masquerade with us!
Where? The building next to Mr. Minecraft's Wing Shop.
Why? To celebrate the expansion of our village and the future! And to have fun!
When? It starts just after sunset on the day you receive this letter and ends at dawn tomorrow.
What? It will be like any other party! The only rule is to wear a mask!
Some of the things that this will contain are:
-Live music performed by the one and only Snake!
-Splendid decorations done by Racoon!
-Games set up by Dove!
-Food provided by Niki, a traveling baker who decided to bless us with her splendid pastries, cookies, and cakes!
-A special reveal for the 50th Anniversary!
Entry is free!
"A special reveal? Wonder what it could possibly be." Mitra muttered, looking at his invitation.
"Probably something stupid, like a new member." Floof had tossed his invitation to the floor followed by a flurry of paper as he tore up the envelope.
"That would still be cool. I do think you're on to something- Stag wasn't on the invitation. Something must have happened to him and they got a new member to replace him." Mitra speculated, and handed the former paper home of the invitation to Techno.
"Bro- I'm sure he is just taking a break, he has been in charge of the food for the last couple years." Techno slipped both his and Mitra's envelopes in his pocket. "Floof, please clean that up."
Floof groaned and reluctantly started to pick up the paper he had shredded.
"Anyone want breakfast?" Techno rubbed his eyes, already exhausted even though he had just woken up, signaling that his yearly hibernation was happening soon.
"Yes. I want bacon!" Floof smirked.
"Bruh."
"So is that a yes?"
"No."
"Fine." Floof attempted to appear disappointed but the smile on his face said otherwise. "Sausage then."
"I want waffles!" Mitra added. "Please don't make it with only potatoes this time. Please, it is so much better without them."
"How dare you say something like that, I feel hurt, how could you not like potatoes?"
"I do. I'm just sick of them."
"I am too!"
"Betrayed by people who I thought were my brothers." His face is crestfallen, overly so, at them not liking a random vegetable. Shaking his head in disappointment, he smiled.
He truly loved his brothers and was glad that they would never have to know what he had.